History Trivia / OnceUponATimeInChina

* DawsonCasting: At the time it was a little hard to stomach Creator/YuenBiao, a contemporary of Creator/JackieChan, as Jet Li's disciple considering how much longer he's been in mainstream cinema. Jacky Cheung (Bucktooth So) is a borderline case since he's [[OlderThanTheyLook older than he looks.]]

** Donnie Yen plays Wong Fei-hung's father Wong Kei-ying in ''Film/IronMonkey'', a film about a young Wong Fei-hung. Ironically, he also played the villain General Narlan Yuenshu all the way back in ''Once Upon A Time In China 2'', who was '''killed by''' Wong Fei-hung.
** Vincent Zhao previously played a villainous Manchu governor who fought Jet Li in ''Fong Sai-yuk''.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/JackieChan was initially the first choice for Wong Fei-hong, due to him already portraying Wong in his earlier film ''Film/DrunkenMaster''. Similarly, Creator/SammoHung was meant to portray Fatty Wing (the role that eventually went to Kent Cheng), as he previously played the character in ''The Magnificent Butcher''. With Yuen Biao as Lian Quan, the film would have been a vehicle for the Three Dragons of 80's Hong Kong cinema, but as it turned out Yuen Biao is the only one who could make it. The studios then decide to cast its up-and-coming megastar Jet Li as Fei-hong, and the rest is history.

** Donnie Yen plays Wong Fei-hong's father Wong Kei-ying in ''Film/IronMonkey'', a film about a young Wong Fei-hong. Ironically, he also played the villain General Narlan Yuenshu all the way back in ''Once Upon A Time In China 2'', who was '''killed by''' Wong Fei-hong.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/JackieChan was initially the first choice for Wong Fei-hung, due to him already portraying Wong in his earlier film ''Film/DrunkenMaster''. Similarly, Creator/SammoHung was meant to portray Fatty Wing (the role that eventually went to Kent Cheng), as he previously played the character in ''The Magnificent Butcher''. With Yuen Biao as Lian Quan, the film would have been a vehicle for the Three Dragons of 80's Hong Kong cinema, but as it turned out Yuen Biao is the only one who could make it. The studios then decide to cast its up-and-coming megastar Jet Li as Fei-hung, and the rest is history.

** Donnie Yen plays Wong Fei-hung's father Wong Kei-ying in ''Film/IronMonkey'', a film about a young Wong Fei-hung. Ironically, he also played the villain General Narlan Yuenshu all the way back in ''Once Upon A Time In China 2'', who was '''killed by''' Wong Fei-hung.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/JackieChan was initially the first choice for Wong Fei-hung, due to him already portraying Wong in his earlier film ''Film/DrunkenMaster''. Similarly, Creator/SammoHung was meant to portray Fatty Wing (the role that eventually went to Kent Cheng), as he previously played the character in ''The Magnificent Butcher''. With Yuen Biao as Lian Quan, the film would have been a vehicle for the Three Dragons of 80's Hong Kong cinema, but as it turned out Yuen Biao is the only one who could make it. The studios then decide to cast its up-and-coming megastar Jet Li as Fei-hung, and the rest is history.

* DawsonCasting: At the time it was a little hard to stomach Creator/YuenBiao, a contemporary of Creator/JackieChan, as Jet Li's disciple considering how much longer he's been in mainstream cinema. Jacky Cheung (Buckteeth Soh) is a borderline case since he's [[OlderThanTheyLook older than he looks.]]

** From the 2nd movie onward, Lian Quan was played by Creator/MaxMok who replaced Yuen Biao.
** Buck-Teeth-Soo also changed actors in the sixth installment after being PutOnABus.

* TheOtherDarrin: Lian Quan from the 2nd movie onwards, played by Creator/MaxMok who replaced Yuen Biao. Buck-Teeth-Soo changes actors in the sixth installment after being PutOnABus.
* StarMakingRole: This series practically made Creator/JetLi's career. The second movie also put Creator/DonnieYen on the map.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/JackieChan was initially the first choice for Wong Fei-Hung, due to him already portraying Wong in his earlier film ''Film/DrunkenMaster''. Similarly, ''Creator/SammoHung'' was meant to portray Fatty Wing (the role that eventually went to Kent Cheng). With Yuen Biao, the film would've been a vehicle for the three Dragons of 80s Hong Kong cinema, but as it turns out Yuen Biao is the only one who could make it. The studios then decide to cast its up-and-coming megastar Jei Li as Fei-Hung, and the rest is history.

* TheOtherDarrin: Lian Quan from the 2nd movie onwards, played by Creator/MaxMok. Buck-Teeth-Soo changes actors after being PutOnABus.
* StarMakingRole: This series practically made Creator/JetLi's career.

* TheOtherDarrin: Lian Quan from the 2nd movie onwards. Buck-Teeth-Soo changes actors after being PutOnABus.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/JackieChan was initinally the first choice for Wong Fei-Hung, due to him already portraying Wong in his earlier film ''Film/DrunkenMaster''. Similarly, ''Creator/SammoHung'' was meant to portray Fatty Wing (the role that eventually went to Kent Cheng). With Yuen Biao, the film would've been a vehicle for the three Dragons of 80s Hong Kong cinema, but as it turns out Yuen Biao is the only one who could make it. The studios then decide to cast its up-and-coming megastar Jei Li as Fei-Hung, and the rest is history.

* DawsonCasting: At the time it was a little hard to stomach Yuen Biao, a contemporary of Creator/JackieChan, as Jet Li's disciple considering how much longer he's been in mainstream cinema. Jacky Cheung (Buckteeth Soh) is a borderline case since he's [[OlderThanTheyLook older than he looks.]]

* StarMakingRole: This series practically made Creator/JetLi's career.

* StarMakingRole: This series practically made Creator/JetLi's career.

* TheOtherDarrin - Lian Quan from the 2nd movie onwards. Buck-Teeth-Soo changes actors after being PutOnABus.
* StarMakingRole - This series practically made Jet Li's career.