China's martial artist, actor and filmmaker Jackie Chan is set to film “Armour of God IV: Ultimatum” in Kazakhstan, marking the action legend’s first-ever production in Central Asia.

The new installment in the long-running franchise will be directed by Robert Kun and produced by Salem Entertainment, with principal photography scheduled to begin in July. The film is targeting a global release in the second quarter of 2027, The Caspian Post reports via Variety.

Backed by the Alem Fund - an Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)-registered initiative supporting international film projects tied to Kazakhstan - the movie is the first production from a slate of six upcoming titles.

The story continues Jackie Chan’s iconic character, the Asian Hawk, who is pulled back into action amid a global hunt for an ancient artifact known as the Tumar, carrying a reward exceeding $20 million. Filming will take place across Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Chan said the project opens new creative opportunities: “This is my first project with Kazakh partners, but it will not be the last. I have never filmed there before, and it opens up many new visual and creative ideas.”

The Armour of God franchise began in 1986, followed by Operation Condor (1991) and Chinese Zodiac (2012), all centered on high-stakes global adventures.