The Forbidden Kingdom (2008): cast, story & where to watch
2008 · Film · ★ 6.6
Released in 2008, The Forbidden Kingdom is an action, fantasy and adventure film directed by Rob Minkoff, running about 104 minutes. “The battle for eternity is the fantasy of a lifetime.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself travelling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.
Who’s in it. The Forbidden Kingdom stars Jackie Chan as Old Hop / Lu Yan, Jet Li as The Silent Monk / The Monkey King, Michael Angarano as Jason Tripitikas and Liu Yifei as Golden Sparrow / Chinatown Girl, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.6/10, The Forbidden Kingdom has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $127.9M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Forbidden Kingdom page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Forbidden Kingdom tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)?
- In US, The Forbidden Kingdom is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Philo and YouTube TV, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Forbidden Kingdom worth watching?
- The Forbidden Kingdom holds an audience score of 6.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, fantasy and adventure. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Forbidden Kingdom?
- The Forbidden Kingdom stars Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, Liu Yifei and Li Bingbing.
- When was The Forbidden Kingdom released?
- The Forbidden Kingdom was released in 2008, with a runtime of about 104 minutes.