HONG KONG, Nov 3 — Hong Kong comedy legend Stephen Chow’s most beloved movie characters are getting a new lease of life through artificial intelligence, as a venture backed by his entertainment company looks to transform them into a global animation franchise.

Characters from cult favourites such as Kung Fu Hustle, God of Cookery and CJ7 are being reimagined as AI-generated cartoons under Shin Shin Legends, an initiative linked to Chow’s entertainment and investment company, Bingo Group.

The project aims to build a new animated universe around the characters, complete with original storylines, merchandise and licensing opportunities, taking a page from the playbooks of entertainment giants Marvel and Disney.