Out of all the successful shared universes to come about over the years, the "Karate Kid" franchise might be the most surprising. Also known as the Miyagi-Verse and named in honor of the martial arts maestro Mr. Miyagi, the property kicked off in 1984 with director John G. Avildsen's "The Karate Kid," a rousing sports drama cut from the same cloth as the filmmaker's Best Picture Oscar-winning "Rocky," albeit focused on martial arts rather than boxing. But besides establishing "Wax on, wax off" as a fixture of our pop cultural lexicon, the film also birthed two sequel films, a spinoff film, a reboot film, a live-action legacy sequel show, and even a short-lived, non-canonical '80s cartoon series.
For a long time, however, it was assumed the 2010 "Karate Kid" reboot and the 1984 original existed in different continuities. But no more! Just as the popular "Cobra Kai" series has seen Miyagai's...
For a long time, however, it was assumed the 2010 "Karate Kid" reboot and the 1984 original existed in different continuities. But no more! Just as the popular "Cobra Kai" series has seen Miyagai's...
- 11/29/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
A global casting search is underway for the lead role in the forthcoming Karate Kid film — but the cast list has two essential roles already covered. Set for release in December 2024, the Sony Pictures film will find Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio returning to the franchise.
Macchio appeared in the original Karate Kid film, released in 1984, in the role of 15-year-old Daniel Larusso. He subsequently starred in the 1986 and 1989 sequels before reprising his role in the action comedy-drama series Cobra Kai in 2018.
Chan made his debut in the Karate Kid universe in the 2010 remake.
Macchio appeared in the original Karate Kid film, released in 1984, in the role of 15-year-old Daniel Larusso. He subsequently starred in the 1986 and 1989 sequels before reprising his role in the action comedy-drama series Cobra Kai in 2018.
Chan made his debut in the Karate Kid universe in the 2010 remake.
- 11/21/2023
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are set to star in a new Karate Kid movie, currently penciled in for release on December 13th, 2024.
Chan and Macchio will reprise their respective characters of Mr. Han from 2010’s The Karate Kid and Daniel Larusso from the original Karate Kid trilogy and hit Netflix series Cobra Kai.
The announcement comes via a video revealing a global casting call for the next Karate Kid, a character named Li Fong. The role calls for a Chinese actor between 15 and 17 years old who speaks fluent English and is “smart, scrappy, and a skilled martial artist.”
Directed by Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World), the movie was originally announced by Sony Pictures last year with a June 7th, 2024 release date. Details about the script, written by Rob Lieber, are being kept under wraps.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, the story will take place in...
Chan and Macchio will reprise their respective characters of Mr. Han from 2010’s The Karate Kid and Daniel Larusso from the original Karate Kid trilogy and hit Netflix series Cobra Kai.
The announcement comes via a video revealing a global casting call for the next Karate Kid, a character named Li Fong. The role calls for a Chinese actor between 15 and 17 years old who speaks fluent English and is “smart, scrappy, and a skilled martial artist.”
Directed by Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World), the movie was originally announced by Sony Pictures last year with a June 7th, 2024 release date. Details about the script, written by Rob Lieber, are being kept under wraps.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, however, the story will take place in...
- 11/21/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Jackie Chan, the legendary martial arts star, is in talks to return for the new upcoming Karate Kid film from Sony Pictures, according to sources. The film will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle, who is known for his work on Netflix original series like I Am Not Okay With This and The End of the F**ing World.
Jackie Chan is expected to reprise the role of Mr. Han, the mentor of Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid. The remake followed Dre, a 12-year-old boy who moves to China and learns Kung Fu from Mr. Han to deal with bullies. The film was a huge hit, grossing $359 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. It also earned Jackie Chan a Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Butt Kicker and a People’s Choice Award nomination for Favorite On-Screen Team with Jaden Smith.
The Karate Kid Scene
It...
Jackie Chan is expected to reprise the role of Mr. Han, the mentor of Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid. The remake followed Dre, a 12-year-old boy who moves to China and learns Kung Fu from Mr. Han to deal with bullies. The film was a huge hit, grossing $359 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. It also earned Jackie Chan a Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Butt Kicker and a People’s Choice Award nomination for Favorite On-Screen Team with Jaden Smith.
The Karate Kid Scene
It...
- 7/15/2023
- by amalprasadappu
- https://thecinemanews.online/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4649
Last year, it was announced that Sony Pictures would be capitalizing on the Karate Kid brand with a new movie. Thanks to the Netflix series Cobra Kai, the franchise has found a new life in the streaming era. When Sony announced the new movie, it was assumed it would be connected to the show until it was revealed that neither Ralph Macchio nor Cobra Kai creator Jon Hurwitz are involved. ComicBook.com is now reporting that Jackie Chan, who was the Miyagi-type character Mr. Han in the 2010 remake, is in talks to return for the new film in that role.
The story in the Karate Kid remake, which would star Jaden Smith in the student role, was heavily derived from the original’s plot. However, it’s not explicitly established that the universe is separate from Daniel Larusso’s. There isn’t any information on what the story of this new film will involve,...
The story in the Karate Kid remake, which would star Jaden Smith in the student role, was heavily derived from the original’s plot. However, it’s not explicitly established that the universe is separate from Daniel Larusso’s. There isn’t any information on what the story of this new film will involve,...
- 5/18/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
“You have offended my family and you have offended the Shaolin Temple!”
Enter The Dragon (1973) plays this weekend (August 12th and 13th) at The Tivoli at midnight as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli midnight series.
In the early seventies America was going through a period of fascination with martial arts, and at the center of the Kung-Fu craze was the actor Bruce Lee. Enter The Dragon (1973) is the best (and best-known) of the five films that Lee starred in. His mysterious and tragically early death at the age of 33 shortly after completing Enter The Dragon only served to heighten public interest in his skills
The plot contains elements drawn from spy thrillers of the James Bond type. The story is set in Hong Kong. The hero Mr Lee (lee) is recruited by British Intelligence on an undercover mission to infiltrate the island hideaway of the villain Mr Han.
Enter The Dragon (1973) plays this weekend (August 12th and 13th) at The Tivoli at midnight as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli midnight series.
In the early seventies America was going through a period of fascination with martial arts, and at the center of the Kung-Fu craze was the actor Bruce Lee. Enter The Dragon (1973) is the best (and best-known) of the five films that Lee starred in. His mysterious and tragically early death at the age of 33 shortly after completing Enter The Dragon only served to heighten public interest in his skills
The plot contains elements drawn from spy thrillers of the James Bond type. The story is set in Hong Kong. The hero Mr Lee (lee) is recruited by British Intelligence on an undercover mission to infiltrate the island hideaway of the villain Mr Han.
- 8/8/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I'm not sure how you go from Harald Zwart to Breck Eisner (The Crazies), but I have to assume Sony wasn't too pleased with the returns on The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and decided to go a different direction, replacing Zwart who directed the first The Karate Kid remake with Eisner for The Karate Kid 2. I also find it curious it has taken Sony this long to get moving on the sequel to the highly successful 2011 remake, which centered on Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) as he heads to China with his mother (Taraji P. Henson) and eventually learns kung fu from his maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). I expect all the principals to return, though that has yet to be confirmed. The 2010 film was made for a mere $40 million and grossed $359.1 million worldwide and instead of striking while the iron was hot they've wasted four years. Depending on...
- 4/7/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Despite its hefty success at the box office, work on a sequel to 2010’s reboot of The Karate Kid (now with kung fu instead!) has been slow going, with several writers taking a crack at the script. Sony has now taken things a step further by hiring a director in the shape of The Crazies’ Breck Eisner.The new iteration of the underdog story found Jaden Smith inheriting Ralph Macchio’s mantle of the kid who learnsself-defence and a few life lessons from a wise mentor. Jackie Chan took over for Pat Morita, playing kung fu expert Mr. Han, a man with a troubled past. Harald Zwart was the director for the 2010 film, but it appears he’s busy throwing his energy into the Mortal Instruments films, a task we do not envy him.Eisner’s had a mixed career as a director so far, launching with a damp box...
- 4/7/2014
- EmpireOnline
The panel for director Spike Lee's remake of Oldboy consisted of screenwriter Mark Protosevich and actors Michael Imperioli and Pom Klementieff. Imperioli talked about his character and working with the director for the sixth time. Klementieff -- who plays a female version of the bodyguard Mr. Han, from the original film -- talked about her extensive martial arts training and the injuries she endured while filming. Most of the audience questions were directed toward Protosevich, who assured fans that this is a no-holds-barred adaptation of this twisted tale.
During the panel, we were shown a new clip from the film which featured Josh Brolin's character infiltrating the facility in which he was held prisoner for twenty years. The clip also featured Samuel L. Jackson and was incredibly gruesome. From the amount of cringing I did during that clip alone, I'm confident that this is indeed a faithful and worthwhile retelling of the story.
During the panel, we were shown a new clip from the film which featured Josh Brolin's character infiltrating the facility in which he was held prisoner for twenty years. The clip also featured Samuel L. Jackson and was incredibly gruesome. From the amount of cringing I did during that clip alone, I'm confident that this is indeed a faithful and worthwhile retelling of the story.
- 10/14/2013
- by Eli Reyes
- GeekTyrant
I’m happy to report that one of the most exciting surprises of the New York Comic Con came during the Oldboy panel, where an exclusive scene from the movie was shown. The footage was greeted with cheers, shrieks, and mass approval. If you want to hear more about exactly what was depicted, I go into detail about the scene and what the attending cast had to say over in my coverage of the panel. So if you’d like to hear me explain how Spike Lee is absolutely attempting to keep Park Chan-wook’s dark vibe in tact, head over and check it out!
While that panel itself was a lot of fun, I was also invited to participate in roundtable interviews with the cast, which granted us some more exclusive content, including two more press only scenes that I can’t say a lick about.
After Michael Imperioli gave us a fun talk,...
While that panel itself was a lot of fun, I was also invited to participate in roundtable interviews with the cast, which granted us some more exclusive content, including two more press only scenes that I can’t say a lick about.
After Michael Imperioli gave us a fun talk,...
- 10/13/2013
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Don’t miss the chance to experience the intense, high action 40th anniversary edition of Enter the Dragon, complete with exclusive art cards and bonus content out now on Blu-Ray™ with Ultraviolet™. To celebrate, 5 lucky readers can win a copy of Enter the Dragon on Blu-Ray.
Recruited by an intelligence agency to help in an undercover mission, Bruce Lee (Way of the Dragon) plays Shaolin martial artist, Lee, who is tasked with gathering evidence to convict international drug trafficker, Mr. Han (Kien Shih, The Casino), the man responsible for the killing of his sister Su-Lin (Angelo Mao, Blade of Fury) and who runs a martial arts school as a cover to his drug operations. Tasked with going undercover and participating in a brutal martial arts contest at Mr. Hans’ school to gather evidence, Lee is pitted against numerous martial arts experts during the tournament. Finally, when coming face to face with Han himself,...
Recruited by an intelligence agency to help in an undercover mission, Bruce Lee (Way of the Dragon) plays Shaolin martial artist, Lee, who is tasked with gathering evidence to convict international drug trafficker, Mr. Han (Kien Shih, The Casino), the man responsible for the killing of his sister Su-Lin (Angelo Mao, Blade of Fury) and who runs a martial arts school as a cover to his drug operations. Tasked with going undercover and participating in a brutal martial arts contest at Mr. Hans’ school to gather evidence, Lee is pitted against numerous martial arts experts during the tournament. Finally, when coming face to face with Han himself,...
- 7/29/2013
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Don’t miss the chance to experience the intense, high action 40th anniversary edition of Enter the Dragon, complete with exclusive art cards and bonus content out on July 22nd on Blu-Ray™ with Uv™. To celebrate, five lucky readers can win a copy of Enter the Dragon on Blu-Ray.
Recruited by an intelligence agency to help in an undercover mission, Bruce Lee (Way of the Dragon) plays Shaolin martial artist, Lee, who is tasked with gathering evidence to convict international drug trafficker, Mr. Han (Kien Shih, The Casino), the man responsible for the killing of his sister Su-Lin (Angelo Mao, Blade of Fury) and who runs a martial arts school as a cover to his drug operations. Tasked with going undercover and participating in a brutal martial arts contest at Mr. Hans’ school to gather evidence, Lee is pitted against numerous martial arts experts during the tournament. Finally, when coming...
Recruited by an intelligence agency to help in an undercover mission, Bruce Lee (Way of the Dragon) plays Shaolin martial artist, Lee, who is tasked with gathering evidence to convict international drug trafficker, Mr. Han (Kien Shih, The Casino), the man responsible for the killing of his sister Su-Lin (Angelo Mao, Blade of Fury) and who runs a martial arts school as a cover to his drug operations. Tasked with going undercover and participating in a brutal martial arts contest at Mr. Hans’ school to gather evidence, Lee is pitted against numerous martial arts experts during the tournament. Finally, when coming...
- 7/26/2013
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Actor Jim Kelly, whose sharp wit and martial arts chops were a big part of the Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon," has died. He was 67. Kelly's ex-wife Marilyn Dishman said that he died Saturday of cancer in his San Diego home in a Facebook posting Sunday. He played he Afro-topped tough guy named Williams in the 1973 cult classic "Enter the Dragon" and supplied some of the film's best lines: He's "too busy lookin' good," Mr. Han-man comes "right out of a comic book," and "ghettoes are the same all over...
- 7/1/2013
- by Todd Cunningham
- The Wrap
Terence Chang, John Woo, Charlie Coker, Frank Botman, Han Sanping, Zhao Haicheng, Miao Xiaotian and Deng Meng (Director of contracts & cooperation China Film Co.)
Dutch-based strategic investment boutique Cyrte Investments and China Film Co., Ltd. are teaming with legendary action director John Woo (Face Off, Red Cliff, Mission Impossible II) on Flying Tigers, a feature film and six-hour television drama miniseries about a group of American pilots who volunteered to fight under the Chinese flag alongside their Chinese counterparts during WWII.
The project will be a two-part feature film released theatrically in greater China, and additionally crafted into a six-hour television drama miniseries for distribution in the rest of the world. The announcement was made today during the Beijing International Film Festival at a signing ceremony attended by Cyrte CEO Frank Botman, Cfg Chairman Han Sanping and John Woo.
The epic action drama tells the legendary story of the Flying Tigers,...
Dutch-based strategic investment boutique Cyrte Investments and China Film Co., Ltd. are teaming with legendary action director John Woo (Face Off, Red Cliff, Mission Impossible II) on Flying Tigers, a feature film and six-hour television drama miniseries about a group of American pilots who volunteered to fight under the Chinese flag alongside their Chinese counterparts during WWII.
The project will be a two-part feature film released theatrically in greater China, and additionally crafted into a six-hour television drama miniseries for distribution in the rest of the world. The announcement was made today during the Beijing International Film Festival at a signing ceremony attended by Cyrte CEO Frank Botman, Cfg Chairman Han Sanping and John Woo.
The epic action drama tells the legendary story of the Flying Tigers,...
- 4/23/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Untitled Karate Kid Sequel to be scripted by Zak Penn of The Incredible Hulk Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris were first hired to penn a sequel to the hit Harald Zwart-directed reboot which posted over $359 million at the worldwide box office. Variety reports that stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are expected to reprise their roles as Dre Parker and Mr. Han respectively, but there are no deals in place as yet. Will Smith, James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz and Jada Pinkett Smith of Overbrook are to produce The Karate Kid sequel along with Jerry Weintraub.
- 2/8/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Untitled Karate Kid Sequel to be scripted by Zak Penn of The Incredible Hulk Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris were first hired to penn a sequel to the hit Harald Zwart-directed reboot which posted over $359 million at the worldwide box office. Variety reports that stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are expected to reprise their roles as Dre Parker and Mr. Han respectively, but there are no deals in place as yet. Will Smith, James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz and Jada Pinkett Smith of Overbrook are to produce The Karate Kid sequel along with Jerry Weintraub.
- 2/8/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Untitled Karate Kid Sequel to be scripted by Zak Penn of The Incredible Hulk Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris were first hired to penn a sequel to the hit Harald Zwart-directed reboot which posted over $359 million at the worldwide box office. Variety reports that stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are expected to reprise their roles as Dre Parker and Mr. Han respectively, but there are no deals in place as yet. Will Smith, James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz and Jada Pinkett Smith of Overbrook are to produce The Karate Kid sequel along with Jerry Weintraub.
- 2/8/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The story of "The Karate Kid" has charmed and inspired a whole new generation of young 'uns, as the 2011 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards has crowned (or "blimped," rather) the 2010 re-imagining of the now-classic 1984 film as Favorite Movie.
The Kca also "blimped" Jackie Chan, who stars as the wise (and butt-kicking) martial arts mentor, Mr. Han, as Favorite Buttkicker.
(Let's face it -- it would be hard to beat Jackie Chan in such a category, no matter who you are.)
Jack Black hosted the 2011 Kca Awards with his usual boundless energy and devilish grin, arriving at the ceremony in a monster truck and kicking things off with a rollicking rendition of "I've Got a Feeling," which led to a dance session with the Black Eyed Peas.
Black also proved to be a good sport when he lost the Blimp for Favorite Movie Actor to Johnny Depp, who won for his performance...
The Kca also "blimped" Jackie Chan, who stars as the wise (and butt-kicking) martial arts mentor, Mr. Han, as Favorite Buttkicker.
(Let's face it -- it would be hard to beat Jackie Chan in such a category, no matter who you are.)
Jack Black hosted the 2011 Kca Awards with his usual boundless energy and devilish grin, arriving at the ceremony in a monster truck and kicking things off with a rollicking rendition of "I've Got a Feeling," which led to a dance session with the Black Eyed Peas.
Black also proved to be a good sport when he lost the Blimp for Favorite Movie Actor to Johnny Depp, who won for his performance...
- 4/3/2011
- by Bryan Enk
- NextMovie
With a total box office bonanza of $10 billion in U.S. ticket sales, it's pretty clear Americans wholeheartedly went to the movies in 2010. The big studio winner was Warner Bros., with $1.8 billion in proceeds from films like "Inception" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I."
Here's the rest of the box office hits of 2010...counting down from 25 to No. 1.
Top 25 Movies of 201025. 'Sex and the City 2' (Warner Bros.)
Total gross:...
Here's the rest of the box office hits of 2010...counting down from 25 to No. 1.
Top 25 Movies of 201025. 'Sex and the City 2' (Warner Bros.)
Total gross:...
- 12/26/2010
- Extra
Jackie Chan wants to open a museum filled with things he has collected. The actor playing Mr. Han in "The Karate Kid" plans to create Jackie Chan World, a place where he can put everything he has purchased over the years on show for his fans and also plans to give things away as he has too much "s**t".
"All my props and costumes, I put them there. I want people to go in and see them. Now I am planning Jackie Chan World - everything I've collected all these years will go in there," he said. "Teacups and saucers, cars, rocks, spoons."
"In my office, so many s**t! I've got six lofts in Hong Kong and if I want to find an Apple [Mac] I can't find it anywhere. I have to buy a new one. One day, when I die, I want my bank account to be zero.
"All my props and costumes, I put them there. I want people to go in and see them. Now I am planning Jackie Chan World - everything I've collected all these years will go in there," he said. "Teacups and saucers, cars, rocks, spoons."
"In my office, so many s**t! I've got six lofts in Hong Kong and if I want to find an Apple [Mac] I can't find it anywhere. I have to buy a new one. One day, when I die, I want my bank account to be zero.
- 11/8/2010
- by celebrity-mania.com
- Celebrity Mania
Chicago – If I were 12 years old, I’d probably think “The Karate Kid” was one of the best Blu-Rays of the year. It’s got everything: a crowd-pleasing feature film, several superb extras, and strikingly sharp picture quality, with colors that pop. Yet since I’m twice as old, I’m cursed with the clarity to see through the splendid spectacle and linger on its utter superficiality.
“The Karate Kid” is barely a film at all, but merely a celebration of brand names, the first of which is the title itself, which makes no sense in the context of this remake. While John G. Avildsen’s 1984 classic was about a sensitive teenager learning karate in California, this film is about a cocky kid learning kung fu in China. When the kid corrects his mother on the precise name of his favored martial art, she goes, “Karate, kung fu, whatever!” This...
“The Karate Kid” is barely a film at all, but merely a celebration of brand names, the first of which is the title itself, which makes no sense in the context of this remake. While John G. Avildsen’s 1984 classic was about a sensitive teenager learning karate in California, this film is about a cocky kid learning kung fu in China. When the kid corrects his mother on the precise name of his favored martial art, she goes, “Karate, kung fu, whatever!” This...
- 10/7/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
I usually find remakes disenchanting, but the Karate Kid brought all the heart of the original as well as some new changes that distinguished the redo from the original. Sure, you just know that being Will Smith.s kid got Jaden the job (didn.t hurt that mom and dad produced the film too), but he.s also a talented little actor. Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) and his mother Sherry (Taraji P. Henson) have moved to Beijing from Detroit because his mother has gotten a job there. They arrive in their new apartment and the hot water is not working so Sherry sends Dre to get Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the building.s maintenance man. Han seems to ignore Dre...
- 10/5/2010
- by Jeff Swindoll
- Monsters and Critics
A look at what's new on DVD today:
"Fade to Black" (2010)
Directed by Oliver Parker
Released by Image Entertainment
It looks like we'll have to update our list of actors who've played Orson Welles with this long-delayed drama from "The Importance of Being Earnest" director Parker, which stars Danny Huston as the "Touch of Evil" auteur who gets caught up in a murder mystery all his own on 1948's "Black Magic" in Italy when he finds out his name is on a hit list. Christopher Walken, Diego Luna and Paz Vega co-star.
"30 Days of Night: Dark Days" (2010)
Directed by Ben Ketai
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rare for a direct-to-video sequel, original author Steve Niles returns to co-write this follow-up to the 2007 graphic novel adaptation about a vampire attack in Alaska. This time, "Lost" star Kiele Sanchez is protecting her neck, along with Diora Baird, Harold Perrineau, Rhys Coiro and Mia Kirshner,...
"Fade to Black" (2010)
Directed by Oliver Parker
Released by Image Entertainment
It looks like we'll have to update our list of actors who've played Orson Welles with this long-delayed drama from "The Importance of Being Earnest" director Parker, which stars Danny Huston as the "Touch of Evil" auteur who gets caught up in a murder mystery all his own on 1948's "Black Magic" in Italy when he finds out his name is on a hit list. Christopher Walken, Diego Luna and Paz Vega co-star.
"30 Days of Night: Dark Days" (2010)
Directed by Ben Ketai
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rare for a direct-to-video sequel, original author Steve Niles returns to co-write this follow-up to the 2007 graphic novel adaptation about a vampire attack in Alaska. This time, "Lost" star Kiele Sanchez is protecting her neck, along with Diora Baird, Harold Perrineau, Rhys Coiro and Mia Kirshner,...
- 10/4/2010
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
In my recap of the last episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, I said that watching it felt like 1999 all over again. Mostly because of Jar Jar, of course. Tonight, the series went all the way back to 1977, revisiting some of the locales (The Mos Eisley Cantina! Jabba’s Palace!) that first made us all fall in love with that Galaxy Far, Far Away (Gffa) 33 years ago. Not to mention that “Sphere of Influence” saw the return of a certain Rodian bounty hunter, who, since his first appearance in A New Hope, has become the subject of a “Who Shot First?...
- 10/2/2010
- by Christian Blauvelt
- EW.com - PopWatch
HollywoodNews.com: We’ll see if my schedule allows me to do a compressive ‘end of summer’ box office wrap-up, but since summer 2010 doesn’t officially end until September 3rd, I figure I’ve got time. But for now, here is a rundown of the various scenes, performances, moments, and miscues that defined the summer just past. Because sometimes, discussing the ‘parts’ is more fun than discussing the ‘whole’. I’ll try to avoid divulging plot twists and the like, but consider this a Spoiler Warning.
Funniest moment of the summer: the demonstration goes horribly wrong in ‘Splice.’
No fair spoiling it here, but there’s a moment about halfway through the otherwise taut and terrific sci-fi horror picture where Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley are giving a corporate presentation regarding their recent scientific endeavors. Let’s just say it’s easily the most outrageously funny scene of this nature...
Funniest moment of the summer: the demonstration goes horribly wrong in ‘Splice.’
No fair spoiling it here, but there’s a moment about halfway through the otherwise taut and terrific sci-fi horror picture where Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley are giving a corporate presentation regarding their recent scientific endeavors. Let’s just say it’s easily the most outrageously funny scene of this nature...
- 8/29/2010
- by Scott Mendelson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Cyrus Voris and Ethan Reiff the guys who wrote DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda have been hired to write the sequel to the most recent Karate Kid remake.
Did you see the Karate Kid remake? I was shocked at how good it was! I wasn't expecting the film to be that good. If you haven't seen it yet, make sure to watch it when it comes out on DVD, becasue I'm pretty confident that you'll be plesantly surprised. The film was made on a $40 million dollar budget, and it took in more than $300 million at the box-office. A sequel for the film was announced shortly after the movie was released.
There are no details on what the new sequel will be about, but I'm sure it will involve Jaden Smith getting his ass kicked again by even better Kung Fu students, which will force him to dive deep into the...
Did you see the Karate Kid remake? I was shocked at how good it was! I wasn't expecting the film to be that good. If you haven't seen it yet, make sure to watch it when it comes out on DVD, becasue I'm pretty confident that you'll be plesantly surprised. The film was made on a $40 million dollar budget, and it took in more than $300 million at the box-office. A sequel for the film was announced shortly after the movie was released.
There are no details on what the new sequel will be about, but I'm sure it will involve Jaden Smith getting his ass kicked again by even better Kung Fu students, which will force him to dive deep into the...
- 8/27/2010
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Columbia Pictures has moved forward with their plan to make a sequel to "The Karate Kid". The Hollywood Reporter (THR) has just reported that Cyrus Voris and Ethan Reiff have been billed to provide the script for "The Karate Kid 2".
The studio would not reveal the setting or the plot for the upcoming movie. However, THR speculates that the next film could be set in the United States to reverse mirror the 1980s original movie series which was set in China before moving to Japan.
"The Karate Kid" helmer Harald Zwart himself has previously said that he would prefer to do a new story than remake one of the existing "Karate Kid" sequels. "I personally think it's now so much on its own two feet, given the success, that it would be interesting to see where we could take it without ever thinking about the old ones," he stated.
Lead...
The studio would not reveal the setting or the plot for the upcoming movie. However, THR speculates that the next film could be set in the United States to reverse mirror the 1980s original movie series which was set in China before moving to Japan.
"The Karate Kid" helmer Harald Zwart himself has previously said that he would prefer to do a new story than remake one of the existing "Karate Kid" sequels. "I personally think it's now so much on its own two feet, given the success, that it would be interesting to see where we could take it without ever thinking about the old ones," he stated.
Lead...
- 8/27/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
The good news is we only have three more weeks until the summer movie season is over. This dreadful, dismal summer movie season. The bad news is that we are going to be reliving it from September until the end of the year with the DVD market all over again. An official announcement for Toy Story 3 is still pending while some stores are telling customers to save the date on November 2 to pick up their copy. You will have to make it through October to get to it though.
Theatrical
Sony's remake of The Karate Kid is currently the 9th highest grossing film of the year. It's $173 million is about on par with the original's gross (figuring for inflation) although its charm, humor and general likability was left back in 1984. On Oct. 5 though you can decide whether the right person is being punched in the face when Jaden Smith is in the ring.
Theatrical
Sony's remake of The Karate Kid is currently the 9th highest grossing film of the year. It's $173 million is about on par with the original's gross (figuring for inflation) although its charm, humor and general likability was left back in 1984. On Oct. 5 though you can decide whether the right person is being punched in the face when Jaden Smith is in the ring.
- 8/12/2010
- by Erik Childress
- Cinematical
Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid has been crowned top of the box office, beating the big-screen adaptation of The A-Team, in its opening weekend.
The 80s remake starring Will Smith Jr. aka Jaden Smith and king of Kung Fu Jackie Chan has exceeded industry expectations, by raking in a cool £4.9 million after only a couple of days in theatres.
Hoping to give The Karate Kid a run for its money, the brand new adaptation of The A-Team – starring Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel and Liam Neeson - failed to secure top spot in the battle of the 80s remakes.
Jaden, who first tried his hand at acting alongside papa Smith in the Pursuit of Happyness, beats down the bullies with the help of Chan in this modern day reboot of the 80s classic.
Set against the backdrop of China instead of New York, this remake follows 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith...
The 80s remake starring Will Smith Jr. aka Jaden Smith and king of Kung Fu Jackie Chan has exceeded industry expectations, by raking in a cool £4.9 million after only a couple of days in theatres.
Hoping to give The Karate Kid a run for its money, the brand new adaptation of The A-Team – starring Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel and Liam Neeson - failed to secure top spot in the battle of the 80s remakes.
Jaden, who first tried his hand at acting alongside papa Smith in the Pursuit of Happyness, beats down the bullies with the help of Chan in this modern day reboot of the 80s classic.
Set against the backdrop of China instead of New York, this remake follows 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith...
- 8/3/2010
- by jennifer.trevorrow@lovefilm.com (Jennifer Trevorrow)
- LOVEFiLM
In our exclusive interview, the two stars tell LOVEFiLM about what they learned from working with one another – including Jaden’s dance moves – plus what the movie meant to them, and the importance of the original Karate Kid films in their execition of the remake.
In The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, and kung fu prodigy, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries,...
In The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, and kung fu prodigy, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries,...
- 7/23/2010
- by helen.cowley@lovefilm.com (Helen Cowley)
- LOVEFiLM
In our exclusive interview, the two stars tell LOVEFiLM about what they learned from working with one another – including Jaden’s dance moves – plus what the movie meant to them, and the importance of the original Karate Kid films in their execition of the remake.
In The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, and kung fu prodigy, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries,...
In The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, and kung fu prodigy, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries,...
- 7/23/2010
- by helen.cowley@lovefilm.com (Helen Cowley)
- LOVEFiLM
12-year-old Dre Parker could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
The UK press conference for the remake of The Karate Kid took place in London last Thursday,...
The UK press conference for the remake of The Karate Kid took place in London last Thursday,...
- 7/19/2010
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Sony Pictures UK has announced that its nationwide search for the UK's Karate Kid is over.
High-kicking into first place is Jack Griffiths, aged 11, from Sheffield.
Jack has won £5,000 for his martial arts club, plus the chance to meet the stars of the feature film, Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, at the London premiere today, July 15.
The winner was chosen from entries to a national competition on Facebook to find the individual who best embodied the martial arts themes and principles in the film.
Entrants were asked to provide a short video demonstrating their ability, alongside an explanation of why they should be the UK's Karate Kid.
The three other outstanding finalists are Mohammed Salih (aged 17 from London), Mark Royle (aged 10 from Manchester) and Niall Erskine (aged 8 from Horsham), who will accompany Jack on the red carpet.
Launched in association with the English Karate Federation, the campaign asked parents, guardians...
High-kicking into first place is Jack Griffiths, aged 11, from Sheffield.
Jack has won £5,000 for his martial arts club, plus the chance to meet the stars of the feature film, Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, at the London premiere today, July 15.
The winner was chosen from entries to a national competition on Facebook to find the individual who best embodied the martial arts themes and principles in the film.
Entrants were asked to provide a short video demonstrating their ability, alongside an explanation of why they should be the UK's Karate Kid.
The three other outstanding finalists are Mohammed Salih (aged 17 from London), Mark Royle (aged 10 from Manchester) and Niall Erskine (aged 8 from Horsham), who will accompany Jack on the red carpet.
Launched in association with the English Karate Federation, the campaign asked parents, guardians...
- 7/15/2010
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
The Karate Kid
Stars: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Rongguang Yu, Zhenwei Wang | Written by Christopher Murphey & Robert Mark Kamen | Directed by Harald Zwart
12-year-old Dre Parker could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre...
Stars: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Rongguang Yu, Zhenwei Wang | Written by Christopher Murphey & Robert Mark Kamen | Directed by Harald Zwart
12-year-old Dre Parker could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre...
- 6/28/2010
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Every day a multitude of stars wander through the halls of MTV News to talk about their latest projects and goof around with our intrepid correspondents. But sometimes we catch stars elsewhere, and that's why we put together Spotted!, a daily compendium of stars in the wild.
In the hit film "The Karate Kid," Jaden Smith plays a kid who learns the secrets of karate from Mr. Han (played by Jackie Chan) in order to defend himself against a group of bullies. The training that Chan's character puts Smith through is intense, and if there was any question that Smith himself whipped his 11-year-old body into shape for the role, he put it to rest during a trip to Beijing for the Chinese premiere of the film. During a Q&A session, Smith lifted his shirt to show off his abs (not unlike the Situation from "Jersey Shore"). The premiere...
In the hit film "The Karate Kid," Jaden Smith plays a kid who learns the secrets of karate from Mr. Han (played by Jackie Chan) in order to defend himself against a group of bullies. The training that Chan's character puts Smith through is intense, and if there was any question that Smith himself whipped his 11-year-old body into shape for the role, he put it to rest during a trip to Beijing for the Chinese premiere of the film. During a Q&A session, Smith lifted his shirt to show off his abs (not unlike the Situation from "Jersey Shore"). The premiere...
- 6/17/2010
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
Hey, guess what: Jaden Smith's going to take off that jacket again. To no one's surprise, we're getting a Karate Kid sequel, which means we're only a couple movies away from learning the identity of this generation's Hilary Swank. I know you're excited about that prospect.
Anyway, Sony says the sequel will happen, and that the seed was planted a few weeks back. So there haven't been any real developments, like writers, plot, or that sort of thing, but director Harald Zwart tells Entertainment Weekly, “I would absolutely love to do a sequel. I think working with those guys was the best part of my career. So yeah, if they want me, I would love to do it again.”
There's no word on Jackie Chan returning as Mr. Han, the Miyagi character he actually did rather well. But if he did Shanghai Knights...I'll let you finish that thought.
Anyway, Sony says the sequel will happen, and that the seed was planted a few weeks back. So there haven't been any real developments, like writers, plot, or that sort of thing, but director Harald Zwart tells Entertainment Weekly, “I would absolutely love to do a sequel. I think working with those guys was the best part of my career. So yeah, if they want me, I would love to do it again.”
There's no word on Jackie Chan returning as Mr. Han, the Miyagi character he actually did rather well. But if he did Shanghai Knights...I'll let you finish that thought.
- 6/17/2010
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
In what might be the biggest “Well, duh” of the week, as Hollywood Insider’s Nicole Sperling reports, Columbia Pictures is planning a sequel to The Kung Fu Karate Kid, seeing as the Will and Jada Smith-produced, Jaden Smith-starring remake to the 1984 original kicked such serious butt at the box office last weekend. They don’t have a script or story yet, but that’s where I come in. I’ve got the plot all worked out.
Since the current movie takes place in China (therefore borrowing the whole underdog-fish-out-of-water story line from the original Karate Kid II), the sequel should find Dre,...
Since the current movie takes place in China (therefore borrowing the whole underdog-fish-out-of-water story line from the original Karate Kid II), the sequel should find Dre,...
- 6/16/2010
- by Missy Schwartz
- EW.com - PopWatch
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Did the remade “Karate Kid,” with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan filling roles made famous by Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, paint itself into a corner when it comes to a sequel?
The thought crossed my mind twice while watching Sony’s enjoyable remake, which remains atop the domestic box office (at least until “Toy Story 3″ likely knocks it from its perch this weekend). Changes made by screenwriter Christopher Murphey and director Harald Zwart worked in the context of this story, but might have limited where a sequel could go.
For starters, the action shifted overseas to China. Now, we all know that the original “Karate Kid” waited until part two to explore a foreign land. Does that mean a potential sequel could have Dre (Smith) returning home to the United States with Mr. Han (Chan) in tow? Sure, so long as they...
Hollywoodnews.com: Did the remade “Karate Kid,” with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan filling roles made famous by Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, paint itself into a corner when it comes to a sequel?
The thought crossed my mind twice while watching Sony’s enjoyable remake, which remains atop the domestic box office (at least until “Toy Story 3″ likely knocks it from its perch this weekend). Changes made by screenwriter Christopher Murphey and director Harald Zwart worked in the context of this story, but might have limited where a sequel could go.
For starters, the action shifted overseas to China. Now, we all know that the original “Karate Kid” waited until part two to explore a foreign land. Does that mean a potential sequel could have Dre (Smith) returning home to the United States with Mr. Han (Chan) in tow? Sure, so long as they...
- 6/16/2010
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
It Looks like young Jaden Smith - son of megastar Will Smith - has inherited his dad's pulling power on the big screen.
The 11-year-old's new movie The Karate Kid delivered a killer blow to The A-Team last weekend when the two 80s remakes took each other on in a Us box office battle.
It ended with Sony's The Karate Kid kicking 20th Century Fox's The A-Team into second place - and the winning studio today expressed its delight at the result.
Sony, understandably jubilant, issued a press statement today saying: "Following on from the success of The Pursuit of Happyness, in which he starred alongside his father Will Smith, Jaden Smith stars in his first leading role in The Karate Kid, alongside Jackie Chan.
"The film got off to a phenomenal start at the Us box office, exceeding all industry expectations, taking a whopping $56 million and beating The A-Team more than twice over.
The 11-year-old's new movie The Karate Kid delivered a killer blow to The A-Team last weekend when the two 80s remakes took each other on in a Us box office battle.
It ended with Sony's The Karate Kid kicking 20th Century Fox's The A-Team into second place - and the winning studio today expressed its delight at the result.
Sony, understandably jubilant, issued a press statement today saying: "Following on from the success of The Pursuit of Happyness, in which he starred alongside his father Will Smith, Jaden Smith stars in his first leading role in The Karate Kid, alongside Jackie Chan.
"The film got off to a phenomenal start at the Us box office, exceeding all industry expectations, taking a whopping $56 million and beating The A-Team more than twice over.
- 6/15/2010
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
Sony Pictures’ The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan got off to a phenomenal start at the Us box office exceeding all industry expectations taking a whopping $56 million at the weekend and beating The A-Team more than twice-over.
In The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Smith) could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s (Taraji P. Henson) career takes them both to China. Dre has a hard time making friends at first but he does make a connection with his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – until cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre makes an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. Dre knows only a little karate, and in the land of kung fu, Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. Feeling alone in a foreign land, Dre has no friends to turn to except the maintenance man,...
In The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Smith) could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother’s (Taraji P. Henson) career takes them both to China. Dre has a hard time making friends at first but he does make a connection with his classmate Mei Ying – and the feeling is mutual – until cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre makes an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. Dre knows only a little karate, and in the land of kung fu, Cheng puts “the karate kid” on the floor with ease. Feeling alone in a foreign land, Dre has no friends to turn to except the maintenance man,...
- 6/15/2010
- by Kat
- Nerdly
Will Smith must be wholly determined not to become the type of parent characterized within his rap songs. The evidence of Smith's particular parenting ways is fairly obvious from his purchase -- as producer of The Karate Kid remake -- of a movie star career for 11-year-old son Jaden. Further, it was no insurmountable hurdle that Jaden wanted to be a movie star now, for a few quick strokes of the pen are all it took to change a protagonist's age from a high-schooler to a preteen. Similar changes followed in rapid succession; now, the story takes place not in Reseda but in China, and the martial art in question is no longer karate but kung-fu. These changes not only make it more convenient to justify the casting of Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan but -- at least to a non-discriminating audience -- can be explained away as mere trifles...
- 6/14/2010
- by Agent Bedhead
The New 'Karate Kid' movie delivered Ok scenes with an emotional ending. Columbia Pictures released their new "Karate Kid" remake movie into theaters this weekend, and while it got pretty positive reviews from the top movie critics, I just thought it was just ok. The scenes for the film were ok. I liked the emotional ending. They also added some different variations from the original movie,which made it sort of interesting,but overall,it was just ok for me. It stars: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, and Taraji P. Henson. The "Karate Kid" revolves around characters Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) and Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). If you've seen the original "Karate Kid" movie the script stays pretty much the same with slight variations. 12 year old Dre and his mom move to China from Detroit because apparently there was nothing left for them there. As soon as Dre arrives in town,...
- 6/13/2010
- by Andre@ontheflix
- OnTheFlix
Hollywoodnews.com: This weekend, two ‘80s themed projects duke it out at the box office: Sony’s re-boot of “The Karate Kid” and Fox’s long-awaited big screen adaptation of Stephen J. Cannell’s NBC action show “The A-Team.”
The Karate Kid
At this point in time, Ralph Macchio is nearing 50 – so it would be ridiculous for Sony to make a sequel. While the first two “Karate Kid” films in the ‘80s were hits, the franchise was soon paralyzed by sequelitis.
In this new millennium re-boot, wafting with hip-hop and mainland China themes, 12 year old Dre Parker (Jade Smith) is uprooted from his Detroit homebase by his mother’s career (Taraji P. Henson). Dre falls for Mei Ying, much to the consternation of the class baddie, Cheng, who attacks the American with a few karate chops. Dre soon meets Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a master of kung-fu, who matures the boy through marital arts.
The Karate Kid
At this point in time, Ralph Macchio is nearing 50 – so it would be ridiculous for Sony to make a sequel. While the first two “Karate Kid” films in the ‘80s were hits, the franchise was soon paralyzed by sequelitis.
In this new millennium re-boot, wafting with hip-hop and mainland China themes, 12 year old Dre Parker (Jade Smith) is uprooted from his Detroit homebase by his mother’s career (Taraji P. Henson). Dre falls for Mei Ying, much to the consternation of the class baddie, Cheng, who attacks the American with a few karate chops. Dre soon meets Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a master of kung-fu, who matures the boy through marital arts.
- 6/12/2010
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
I was extremely pissed off when Columbia Pictures went out and decided to remake one of my favorite childhood 80's films! I know many of you felt the same way. This is a film that didn't have to be remade, but the studio went ahead and did it anyway. I've been pretty vocal about my disapproval for this remake, but my one of my kids wanted to see it, so I gave in and took her. I have to say... I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
It in no way compares to the original Karate Kid movie, but I actually enjoyed watching the movie. I wasn't expecting what I saw. The acting and script were decent, the story was fun, and the Chinese setting was awesome. There were even a few little fun nods to the original film that I couldn't help but smirk at. There was...
It in no way compares to the original Karate Kid movie, but I actually enjoyed watching the movie. I wasn't expecting what I saw. The acting and script were decent, the story was fun, and the Chinese setting was awesome. There were even a few little fun nods to the original film that I couldn't help but smirk at. There was...
- 6/12/2010
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Jeff already published his take, but here’s another look:
Will Smith has enough clout in the kingdom of Hollywood that he was able to give his 11-year-old son, Jaden Smith, his own movie! We are not talking about a little independent film that plays at a couple of festivals and slips off the radar. This is a remake of The Karate Kid, a big budgeted summer movie featuring an aging superstar in Jackie Chan and filmed almost entirely on location in China. Getting this remake produced is a feat that firmly confirms that the former Fresh Prince is the reigning King of the A-List.
The average filmgoer could guess the plot of The Karate Kid without seeing one single frame. Dre Parker (Smith) is uprooted from the house where he grew up in Detroit and moves to Beijing, China when his mother (Taraji P. Henson) is transferred for work.
Will Smith has enough clout in the kingdom of Hollywood that he was able to give his 11-year-old son, Jaden Smith, his own movie! We are not talking about a little independent film that plays at a couple of festivals and slips off the radar. This is a remake of The Karate Kid, a big budgeted summer movie featuring an aging superstar in Jackie Chan and filmed almost entirely on location in China. Getting this remake produced is a feat that firmly confirms that the former Fresh Prince is the reigning King of the A-List.
The average filmgoer could guess the plot of The Karate Kid without seeing one single frame. Dre Parker (Smith) is uprooted from the house where he grew up in Detroit and moves to Beijing, China when his mother (Taraji P. Henson) is transferred for work.
- 6/12/2010
- by David Pinson
- newsinfilm.com
The Karate Kid
Directed by: Harald Zwart
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan
Running Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Rating: PG
Release Date: June 11, 2010
Read Bayer’s The Karate Kid Tsr – 7/10
Plot: Soon after moving to China, a young American boy named Dre (Smith) becomes the target of aggressive bullying. In order to defend himself, he takes lessons from a wise older electrician named Mr. Han (Chan), who also teaches him the honorable ways of kung-fu.
Who’S It For?: The age of the protagonist is lowered from the original to appeal to even younger boys. This is fine, but the stylized fighting can be pretty brutal to witness as performed by 11-year-olds. As for fans of the original, there’s no crane kick to be seen here, but there’s potential that now grown-up wannabe karate kids will be able to take something positive away from this one.
Expectations: On the outside,...
Directed by: Harald Zwart
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan
Running Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Rating: PG
Release Date: June 11, 2010
Read Bayer’s The Karate Kid Tsr – 7/10
Plot: Soon after moving to China, a young American boy named Dre (Smith) becomes the target of aggressive bullying. In order to defend himself, he takes lessons from a wise older electrician named Mr. Han (Chan), who also teaches him the honorable ways of kung-fu.
Who’S It For?: The age of the protagonist is lowered from the original to appeal to even younger boys. This is fine, but the stylized fighting can be pretty brutal to witness as performed by 11-year-olds. As for fans of the original, there’s no crane kick to be seen here, but there’s potential that now grown-up wannabe karate kids will be able to take something positive away from this one.
Expectations: On the outside,...
- 6/12/2010
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
This is more of an update than a remake of the iconic 1984 original which paired young Ralph Macchio with Pat Morita. While the concept is the same, the locale has moved from California to the Far East.
After his dad dies, 12 year-old Dre Parker's (Jaden Smith) widowed mom (Taraji P. Henson) makes a career move from Detroit to Beijing, so Dre suddenly finds himself in China, where the language, customs and chopsticks are unfamiliar. While he makes one friend, violin-playing Mei Ying, he also makes an enemy, Cheng, the class bully. During their first scuffle, Dre tries to use a little karate but, in this land of kung fu fighting, sadistic Cheng and his Flying Dragon buddies beat him up and continue to terrorize him after school with alarming regularity until a maintenance man, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), comes to his rescue. A wushu master, Mr. Han is disgusted with...
After his dad dies, 12 year-old Dre Parker's (Jaden Smith) widowed mom (Taraji P. Henson) makes a career move from Detroit to Beijing, so Dre suddenly finds himself in China, where the language, customs and chopsticks are unfamiliar. While he makes one friend, violin-playing Mei Ying, he also makes an enemy, Cheng, the class bully. During their first scuffle, Dre tries to use a little karate but, in this land of kung fu fighting, sadistic Cheng and his Flying Dragon buddies beat him up and continue to terrorize him after school with alarming regularity until a maintenance man, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), comes to his rescue. A wushu master, Mr. Han is disgusted with...
- 6/12/2010
- Arizona Reporter
A carbon copy of the 1984 classic starring Ralph Macchio, Harald Zwart’s The Karate Kid redux mimics the movements of the original for a surprisingly satisfying update. Fans of the first will rightfully defend it as “the best around,” but for a new generation unfamiliar with the crane-kicking Daniel Larusso, the younger-skewing remake recreates the uplifting underdog story with only a few alterations.
For starters, market research and nepotism have reduced the characters to mere 12-year-olds and replaced the lead with the pre-teen son of superstar Will Smith. A pint-sized replica of his father, Jaden Smith uses the same swagger, hip hop moves, and boyish charm to play the Fresh Prince of Beijing in his very own fish-out-of-water story.
Detroit native Dre Parker (Smith) moves to China when his mother (Taraji P. Henson) is transferred by her company. The culture clash and language barrier are more tangible frustrations for the protagonist this time,...
For starters, market research and nepotism have reduced the characters to mere 12-year-olds and replaced the lead with the pre-teen son of superstar Will Smith. A pint-sized replica of his father, Jaden Smith uses the same swagger, hip hop moves, and boyish charm to play the Fresh Prince of Beijing in his very own fish-out-of-water story.
Detroit native Dre Parker (Smith) moves to China when his mother (Taraji P. Henson) is transferred by her company. The culture clash and language barrier are more tangible frustrations for the protagonist this time,...
- 6/11/2010
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
Let's just get this out of the way.
No, there's absolutely no explanation in the film as to why it's called The Karate Kid. The closest thing to one would be Taraji P. Henson calling kung fu karate, and when corrected, brushing it off with a dismissive "Karate, Kung Fu, whatever." I'll bet money that this line was actually uttered by the studio, when someone working on the film pointed out that the title makes no sense.
Looking past that, the movie is pretty much identical to the original 80's teen flick, with some radical changes in details. In the place of Daniel-san is Dre Parker (Jaden Smith), a 12-year-old boy whose single mother (Taraji P. Henson) is transfered for work from Detroit to Beijing. There he falls for school beauty Meiying (Wenwen Han), who falls for him back. Not liking their relationship is tough guy bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang...
No, there's absolutely no explanation in the film as to why it's called The Karate Kid. The closest thing to one would be Taraji P. Henson calling kung fu karate, and when corrected, brushing it off with a dismissive "Karate, Kung Fu, whatever." I'll bet money that this line was actually uttered by the studio, when someone working on the film pointed out that the title makes no sense.
Looking past that, the movie is pretty much identical to the original 80's teen flick, with some radical changes in details. In the place of Daniel-san is Dre Parker (Jaden Smith), a 12-year-old boy whose single mother (Taraji P. Henson) is transfered for work from Detroit to Beijing. There he falls for school beauty Meiying (Wenwen Han), who falls for him back. Not liking their relationship is tough guy bully Cheng (Zhenwei Wang...
- 6/11/2010
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
The Karate Kid
Directed by: Harald Zwart
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson
Running Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Rating: PG
Release Date: June 11, 2010
Plot: A 12-year-old named Dre (Smith) moves from Detroit to Beijing, China with his mom. He has a tough time fitting in, and is immediately bullied by a group of boys. A super at the building trains him in kung fu so Dre can defend himself and face the boys in a tournament.
Who’S It For? Families and fans of the first film should appreciate this remake of the Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita original The Karate Kid movie. Also, it seems to put China in a pretty positive light.
Expectations: At first they were quite low. I didn’t know why the film needed to be remade, and then when I realized it was now taking place in China, the working title of The...
Directed by: Harald Zwart
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson
Running Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Rating: PG
Release Date: June 11, 2010
Plot: A 12-year-old named Dre (Smith) moves from Detroit to Beijing, China with his mom. He has a tough time fitting in, and is immediately bullied by a group of boys. A super at the building trains him in kung fu so Dre can defend himself and face the boys in a tournament.
Who’S It For? Families and fans of the first film should appreciate this remake of the Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita original The Karate Kid movie. Also, it seems to put China in a pretty positive light.
Expectations: At first they were quite low. I didn’t know why the film needed to be remade, and then when I realized it was now taking place in China, the working title of The...
- 6/11/2010
- by Jeff Bayer
- The Scorecard Review
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