Jackie Chan Reveals He Has Recorded a Secret Farewell Song to Be Released Only After His Death — The Heartbreaking Reason Has Left Fans Emotional

For more than six decades, Jackie Chan has risked his life performing incredible stunts, survived countless injuries and made generations of moviegoers laugh. To millions, he will always be the fearless action hero who seemed almost impossible to defeat. But behind the legendary smile is a man who has watched friends and loved ones disappear with the passing years. Now, the actor has revealed something deeply personal: he has prepared a farewell song containing the words he wants to leave behind — and he has instructed his team not to release it until he is gone.

BEIJING, CHINA — November 9, 2026 — International action legend Jackie Chan has revealed that he has prepared a deeply personal farewell song intended to be released only after his death.

The actor, now 72, shared the emotional revelation during the Beijing premiere of his film Unexpected Family on December 28, 2025, when he was 71.

According to reports published by China.org.cn and Singapore entertainment outlet 8days, Chan explained that losing friends and family members in recent years had changed the way he viewed life, ageing and the future.

He said he had already arranged for a song to be produced and recorded, but wanted it kept private.

The music will not be released during his lifetime if his wishes are followed.

Instead, he has instructed those close to him to make it public after his passing.

For fans who have followed his remarkable career since the 1970s, the announcement offered an unexpectedly emotional glimpse into a performer usually associated with humor, energy and daring action sequences.

But Chan’s comments were not an announcement of retirement or a disclosure of a terminal illness.

They were reflections on growing older and what he hopes to leave behind.

A Revelation That Left Fans Emotional

The announcement came during a promotional event for Unexpected Family, a drama exploring memory, family relationships and the challenges of ageing.

While discussing the film, Chan began reflecting on the people he had lost.

He described how the deaths of relatives, friends and longtime colleagues had increasingly influenced his outlook.

His social media accounts, he explained, had become filled with messages remembering people who were no longer alive.

Those experiences led him to think about his own eventual farewell.

Rather than waiting until the final stages of life to express his feelings, Chan decided to prepare a song in advance.

He said the recording contains words he wants to leave behind.

According to his account, his family and management were reluctant to release such an emotional piece while he was still alive.

Chan agreed to keep it private.

But he made one request.

The song should be released after his death.

The decision prompted an emotional response from audience members attending the premiere.

Some reportedly asked him to perform a few lines.

Chan declined, explaining that hearing the song might make them cry.

A Song the World Has Never Heard

Despite the attention surrounding the revelation, little is publicly known about the actual recording.

Chan has not disclosed its title.

He has not published the lyrics.

And no official release date exists beyond his stated wish for it to appear after his death.

The precise musical style and production details have also not been independently established.

That uncertainty makes the project especially personal.

Unlike a movie soundtrack promoted months before release, the song is not currently intended for public consumption.

It is a private recording being preserved for a future moment.

Reports describe it as a farewell message for loved ones and fans, but its complete contents remain unknown.

For people who have admired Chan for decades, that secrecy has added emotional significance.

They know a final recording exists.

But hearing it would mean confronting the absence of the man who made it.

The Friends He Has Had to Say Goodbye To

Chan’s decision was shaped by years of personal loss.

Several prominent figures associated with Hong Kong and Chinese entertainment have passed away in recent years.

Among them was actress Cheng Pei-pei, a martial arts cinema pioneer who died in July 2024.

Chan also mourned action director and longtime colleague Corey Yuen, whose death became public in 2024.

Other losses included songwriter Liu Chia-chang, actress Li Lili and respected Hong Kong food critic Chua Lam.

These figures belonged to an entertainment world that helped shape Chan’s generation.

Their careers overlapped with the development of Hong Kong cinema, music and popular culture.

As more of his contemporaries passed away, Chan found himself increasingly aware of the passage of time.

He explained that these experiences changed his priorities.

Instead of postponing meaningful conversations, he wanted to express his feelings while he still had the opportunity.

His reflections revealed a different side of an actor who spent much of his career appearing almost indestructible.

The Man Who Once Imagined Dying During a Stunt

During the Beijing premiere, Chan recalled how differently he thought about life when he was younger.

As an action star, he had once imagined that dying while performing a spectacular stunt might turn him into a legend.

He mentioned the idea humorously.

But at 71, his priorities had changed.

He no longer viewed an early death as a romantic part of an action hero’s legacy.

Instead, he spoke about the privilege of growing older.

For a performer who has endured numerous accidents and injuries throughout his career, that perspective carries particular meaning.

Chan has spent decades pushing his physical limits.

He became famous for performing risky action sequences himself rather than relying entirely on stunt doubles.

His career has included falls, jumps, vehicle chases and elaborate fight choreography.

The physical consequences were often severe.

Yet today, he speaks about ageing not as a defeat, but as something to appreciate.

A Career Built on Extraordinary Risks

Jackie Chan was born on April 7, 1954, in Hong Kong.

As a child, he entered the China Drama Academy, where he underwent rigorous training in martial arts, acrobatics, singing and performance.

The discipline shaped his future career.

He began working in the film industry as a stunt performer.

Over time, he developed a distinctive screen persona combining martial arts with physical comedy.

His breakthrough came through films such as Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow and Drunken Master in 1978.

He later established himself internationally through the Police Story franchise, Rumble in the Bronx, Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon.

His performances brought together elaborate action sequences, comic timing and a willingness to portray heroes who could be frightened, injured or embarrassed.

That combination made him different from many traditional action stars.

Audiences did not simply admire his fighting skills.

They connected with his humanity and humor.

Over the decades, Chan became one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world.

In 2016, he received an honorary Academy Award recognizing his contributions to cinema.

But the career that brought him international recognition also left him with lasting physical injuries.

The Injuries Behind the Legendary Smile

Chan’s willingness to perform dangerous stunts became one of his trademarks.

During the filming of Armour of God in 1986, he suffered a serious head injury after falling during a stunt.

The accident required emergency medical treatment.

He survived and continued working.

Other projects brought broken bones and additional injuries.

Yet Chan repeatedly returned to filmmaking.

For many fans, his determination became part of his appeal.

He represented an action star willing to endure the physical consequences of his performances.

But his recent reflections suggest that he has become increasingly interested in what lies beyond physical bravery.

At 72, he is thinking about the meaning of his career, the people who helped him build it and the messages he hopes will remain after he is gone.

That shift is reflected in his newer acting choices.

His Latest Film Explores Ageing and Family

The emotional announcement took place at the premiere of Unexpected Family, released in China on January 1, 2026.

The film represents a different kind of role for Chan.

Instead of portraying a martial arts hero, he plays an elderly man living with Alzheimer’s disease.

His character mistakenly believes that a younger tenant is his son.

Over time, a group of unrelated people forms an unconventional household around him.

The story examines memory, connection and the meaning of family.

Chan explained that the project reminded him of his own mother.

To prepare, he spent time observing patients in a hospital.

He hoped the performance would encourage compassion toward people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

The film also allowed him to demonstrate an ambition he has expressed for years.

He wants audiences to recognize him as an actor who knows martial arts, rather than someone defined only by action movies.

For Chan, growing older has opened the possibility of telling different kinds of stories.

“Being Able to Grow Old Is a Blessing”

At the Beijing event, Chan also addressed public reactions to his grey and white hair.

Photographs showing his changing appearance had prompted emotional responses from fans.

Some remembered him as the energetic young actor who performed spectacular stunts.

Others expressed sadness at seeing their childhood hero grow older.

Chan responded with gratitude.

He thanked people for remembering how he looked decades earlier.

But he reminded them that ageing is part of life.

He described the opportunity to grow older as fortunate.

That perspective reflected the experiences of someone who has survived dangerous accidents and lost many people along the way.

It also offered a contrast to the entertainment industry’s frequent emphasis on youth.

Chan was not trying to pretend he remained the same man audiences knew in the 1980s or 1990s.

He was embracing the fact that time had passed.

And he wanted to continue using the years ahead meaningfully.

He Is Not Ready to Stop Making Movies

Despite preparing a farewell song, Chan has made clear that he intends to remain active in cinema.

At the premiere, he discussed additional projects, including Panda Plan 2 and a sequel to The Shadow’s Edge.

He also spoke about his ambition to continue making films in different genres.

His focus has shifted from the ability to perform physically demanding action sequences toward the opportunity to keep acting.

That distinction is important.

The existence of a farewell recording does not mean Chan has announced that his career is ending.

Nor does it mean his health is failing.

He is preparing something for the distant future while continuing to work in the present.

In many ways, the decision reflects the philosophy he described during the premiere.

He no longer wants to postpone the things that matter.

A Different Kind of Legacy

For most of his career, Jackie Chan’s legacy has been measured through films.

His achievements include international box office success, groundbreaking stunt work and decades of influence on action cinema.

He helped introduce Hong Kong-style martial arts comedy to audiences around the world.

His movies inspired younger actors, martial artists and filmmakers.

But the farewell song represents something different.

It is not a spectacular stunt.

It is not a chase scene or a comedy routine.

And it is not an award celebrating his career.

It is a personal message prepared for a time when he will no longer be able to speak directly to the people who have supported him.

The song’s true meaning will remain private until it is released.

But the decision to preserve it has already encouraged people to reflect on what artists leave behind.

For Chan, his work will continue to exist through films and performances.

The recording may eventually offer another connection to the person behind those achievements.

Fans Hope They Will Not Hear It for Many Years

Reports about the farewell song have prompted emotional reactions from fans.

Some have praised Chan for approaching the subject of mortality with honesty.

Others have expressed sadness at the thought of hearing the song after his passing.

The reaction is understandable.

For generations of viewers, Chan has been a familiar presence.

Children who watched his movies in the 1980s and 1990s are now adults with families of their own.

His career has become intertwined with memories of growing up.

His humor, performances and remarkable stunts have entertained audiences across languages and cultures.

For those fans, the possibility of a final message carries considerable emotional weight.

But Chan’s announcement also offers a reminder that such a farewell has not yet arrived.

He remains alive and professionally active.

The song is being kept private because he wants it that way.

The Goodbye He Has Already Prepared

On December 28, 2025, Jackie Chan stood before an audience in Beijing and revealed something few people expected.

He had prepared a song intended for release after his death.

His family and management did not want the recording published immediately.

So he agreed to keep it hidden.

But he asked that it eventually be shared.

The decision emerged after years of watching friends and loved ones pass away.

Those experiences had changed how he thought about time.

He no longer wanted to delay meaningful conversations or important experiences.

Instead, he wanted to appreciate the life he still had.

For more than 60 years, Jackie Chan has entertained the world with breathtaking stunts, unforgettable characters and moments of laughter. Now, he has prepared a final message that he hopes people will hear only after he is gone.

At 72, he continues working and exploring new kinds of performances.

There is no announced farewell tour.

No confirmed retirement.

And no public indication that the recording is about to be released.

The music remains private.

For the people who have followed his career, perhaps the most meaningful part of the story is that the song can remain unheard for now.

Jackie Chan has already prepared his goodbye. But millions of fans are hoping the world will not have to hear it for a very long time.