(L to R) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘The Karate Kid‘ franchise is over 40 years old and is just as popular today as it was when it first began!
Starting with 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid’, which starred Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio, the series has spawned three sequels, a remake, an animated series, and the Netflix series ‘Cobra Kai‘, which has breathed fresh life into the IP.
The franchise is now returning to the big screen once again with ‘Karate Kid: Legends‘, which opens in theaters on May 30th and stars Ben Wang. The new movie will also feature legendary actor Jackie Chan reprising his role as Mr. Han from the 2010 remake, alongside Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso from the original film.
In honor of the release of ‘Karate Kid: Legends’, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Karate Kid’ movie and TV show ever made, from forgettable to legendary.
Mr. Miyagi in the 1989 ‘The Karate Kid’ cartoon. Photo: DIC Enterprises/Saban Entertainment.
Daniel and his mentor Mr. Miyagi travel the world with their Okinawan friend Taki Tamurai in search of an ancient Japanese talisman stolen from an old fishing village.
Hilary Swank in ‘The Next Karate Kid’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) decides to take Julie (Hilary Swank), a troubled teenager, under his wing after he learns that she blames herself for her parents’ demise and struggles to adjust with her grandmother and fellow pupils.
In ‘Karate Kid: Legends’, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original ‘Karate Kid’ Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
(L to R) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in ‘The Karate Kid Part III.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Despondent over the closing of his karate school, Cobra Kai teacher John Kreese (Martin Kove) joins a ruthless businessman and martial artist (Thomas Ian Griffith) to get revenge on Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
(L to R) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
Twelve-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could have 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 (Wenwen Han) but the cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre’s feelings make him an enemy of the class bully, Cheng (Wang ZhenWei). With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is a kung fu master. 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.
(L to R) Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi and Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in ‘The Karate Kid Part II.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Summoned by his dying father, Miyagi (Pat Morita) returns to his homeland of Okinawa, with Daniel (Ralph Macchio), after a 40-year exile. There he must confront Yukie (Nobu McCarthy), the love of his youth, and Sato (Danny Kamekona), his former best friend turned vengeful rival. Sato is bent on a fight to the death, even if it means the destruction of their village. Daniel finds his own love in Yukia’s niece, Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita), and his own enemy in Sato’s nephew, the vicious Chozen (Yuji Okumoto). Now, far away from the tournaments, cheering crowds and safety of home, Daniel will face his greatest challenge ever when the cost of honor is life itself.
This ‘Karate Kid’ sequel series picks up 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament and finds Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) on the hunt for redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. This reignites his old rivalry with the successful Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who has been working to maintain the balance in his life without mentor Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) moves to Los Angeles with his mother, Lucille (Randee Heller), and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali (Elisabeth Shue). He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of high school students, led by Ali’s ex-boyfriend Johnny (Willian Zabka), who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei, John Kreese (Martin Kove). Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.
Ben Wang in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Coming off the heels of the extremely popular Netflix series ‘Cobra Kai’, the prospect of a new ‘Karate Kid’ movie was quite welcomed. Especially when news came that the film would feature Ralph Macchio reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso from the original series and Jackie Chan returning as Mr. Han from the 2010 remake, which is now cannon to the entire franchise. However, the result is a misguided and painfully familiar story that does very little to continue the legacy of the franchise.
The bright spots in an otherwise forgettable film are Ben Wang and Sadie Stanley’s performances as Li Fong and Mia Lipani, respectively. The two young actors lead the film quite well and have a strong chemistry together. But the movie suffers from a lack of any strong antagonists, and a bizarre subplot involving Li teaching Mia’s father (Joshua Jackson) Kung Fu for a boxing match (what?), so he can pay back a loan shark who also happens to be the Sensei of Li’s rival.
The movie tries too hard to retcon Mr. Han into the original franchise, going as far as to use a scene from ‘The Karate Kid Part II’ to explain that Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) and Mr. Han were always offscreen friends. Chan doesn’t even appear in the film as much as advertised, and Macchio’s role is nothing more than a glorified cameo, leading the movie to feel more like a standalone sequel to the remake, rather than a celebration of the entire franchise.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
As previously mentioned, the film begins with a flashback to ‘The Karate Kid Part II’, where Mr. Miyagi (the late Morita) explains the history of Miyagi Karate to Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) and how it eventually made its way to China and was integrated with Kung Fu. The story then moves to present day China, where Li Fong (Wang) is studying at Mr. Han’s (Chan) Kung Fu academy and is hiding from his mother (Ming-Na Wen). Li recently lost his older brother due to fighting, and therefore his mother wants him to stop training, especially after she gives him the news that they are moving to New York City.
Once in New York, Li gives up Kung Fu, but quickly finds himself at odds with a local fighter named Connor Day (Aramis Knight), after he befriends his ex-girlfriend Mia (Stanley). Mia’s father (Jackson), who owns a local pizza shop and is a former boxer, owes money to Connor’s Sensei, and asks Li to train him in Kung Fu so he can compete in a boxing match and win the money he needs. But when his opponent cheats, Mia’s father is sent to the hospital and Li decides to enter the Five Boroughs Tournament, against his mother’s wishes, so he can win the money they need and have his revenge against Connor.
Mr. Han travels to New York and meets with Li’s mother to convince her to let Li compete in the contest. Once she agrees, Han visits Daniel LaRusso at Mr. Miyagi’s house in California to ask him to help train Li. It is revealed that Miyagi and Han were friends, and Miyagi had told Han about Daniel and their life changing friendship. Daniel reluctantly agrees and begins teaching Li karate, while Han teaches him Kung Fu. But now, Li must come to terms with his brother’s death and use the knowledge Han and LaRusso have taught him so he can overcome his fears and win the tournament.
Fans of ‘Cobra Kai’ hoping for a big screen version of the popular TV series will be very disappointed by ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. In fact, the film is more like a sequel to 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid’ with a storyline that is basically the same as the original movie. The film also tries to flip the script in the second act, having Li train Mia’s father, which goes nowhere and just confuses the main plot. The relationship between Li and Mia is solid, and so is the “fish out of water” aspect of Li’s character, but the movie never really capitalizes on either, changing the focus to Han and LaRusso in the third act.
On paper, the idea of making the 2010 remake cannon and combining the Han and LaRusso characters into one movie seems promising, but in practice it falls short. The film tries too hard to retcon Han into the original franchise, and his sudden history with Mr. Miyagi seems forced. Jackie Chan is good in the role, but I wish more time was spent focusing on his relationship to Li, rather than reintroducing Daniel and exploring their shared history with Miyagi. In fact, Ralph Macchio is not in much of the movie at all, basically relegated to a glorified cameo, and the character deserves better.
Jonathan Entwistle’s direction is average, and with amazing settings like New York City and Beijing, he does nothing to make those locations look like anything more than stock footage. In fact, there are several times when it becomes glaringly clear that they are shooting on a soundstage and not NYC. And for a movie in the ‘Karate Kid’ franchise, I was shocked by how boring and uninspiring the martial arts sequences were. Entwistle does nothing to elevate those scenes or bring style to the fight sequences.
Finally, several subplots were completely unneeded, such as training Mia’s father for a boxing match, Li’s turmoil over the loss of his brother, Mr. Han’s connection to Mr. Miyagi, and his recruitment of Daniel. Not to mention a disappointing cameo by William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, which is played for laughs and not enough to win over ‘Cobra Kai’ fans.
‘American Born Chinese’ star Ben Wang makes the most of his big screen lead debut and carries the film very well. As Li, he brings confidence and charm to the role and works well off Chan, Macchio, and the rest of the cast. He is also the best thing about the otherwise poorly directed martial arts sequences and is quite believable and likable in the role.
Besides Wang, actress Sadie Stanley, last seen in the Ray Romano directed film ‘Somewhere in Queens’, is the best thing in ‘Legends’. She also brings a charming confidence to her role as Mia and has great chemistry with Wang. While at times the screenplay does the actress no favors, she finds a way to elevate the material and you completely believe that Li would put so much on the line to help her.
Jackie Chan is a living legend and its always great seeing him on screen. He brings warmth and gravitas to the role, but the script doesn’t spend enough time exploring his relationship with Li, instead trying too hard to retcon him into the larger franchise. Chan is also not given a chance to show off his own martial arts skills in the movie, which seems like a real missed opportunity. It would have been nice to have a scene where he protects Li from the bullies, the way Miyagi protected Daniel in the first film.
While he has limited screen time, Ralph Macchio does have some strong scenes with Chan, but they feel more like fan-service than rooted in Li’s story. With Miyagi actor Pat Morita passing away in 2005, pairing Macchio with Chan was a way to recapture some of the magic of the first movie, but it falls short of expectations. One could also criticize Macchio’s believability as a karate master, but since that is baked into the overall ‘Karate Kid’ franchise, I digress.
Ming-Na Wen does her best as Li’s mom but is not given any room to really explore the character and never rises above the disapproving mother role. Actor Joshua Jackson seems to be in a completely different movie and his performance is distracting. Finally, ‘Ms. Marvel’ actor Aramis Knight is unable to uplift his role and portray Connor Day as anything more than a generic bully.
In the end, ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ works too hard to combine the movie franchise’s two main characters, overlooking the themes of friendship and mutual respect between teacher and student that resonated so much throughout the first film. Despite Ben Wang and Sadie Stanley’s strong performances, the movie ultimately gets its legs swept out from under it.
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What is the plot of ‘Karate Kid: Legacy’?
In Karate Kid: Legends, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
(L to R) Ben Wang, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio star in ‘Karate Kid: Legends’.
Moviefone recently had the honor of speaking with Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio and Ben Wang about their work on ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Chan discussed his love for the first movie and combining the remake with the original franchise, while Macchio talked about reprising his role on the big screen opposite Jackie Chan, and Wang spoke about joining the franchise and what he learned from working with the two legendary ‘Karate Kid’ actors.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Chan, Macchio and Wang, as well as Sadie Stanley.
Moviefone: To begin with, Jackie, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the idea of bringing Mr. Han and Daniel together in the same film?
Jackie Chan: Believe it or not, I have a long story to tell you. When I was a stunt guy, I was in a martial arts movie that was not popular anymore. Then I was disappointed, nobody hired me. Then what should we do? Even the people around me, all the martial artists, the stunt guys, we were just very depressed, and wanted to give up. No training anymore, just fooling around. Then suddenly ‘Karate Kid’ comes out. We buy the ticket, we go in, and we watch. More we watch all my friends go, “Yes. Wow. Wow.” You know, that brings you up. Then I talk to myself, “Why are you training so many years? One small thing knocks you down, you just give up. No, we should get back up. Do it again.” We will go to training, training, training. Yeah. Till suddenly another movie, ‘Rocky’, comes out. It brings me up again. The two movies bring me back to training with all my friends. Then some friends become action directors. Then some become stunt coordinators. I become an actor. I become a Jackie Chan. So, I really thank you, ‘Rocky’, and Ralph. Then many years later, Will Smith call me, “Jackie, I want you to make ‘The Karate Kid.” I said, “Me? I’m not a kid anymore.” Then he said, “Not you. You are Miyagi.” Because when I watched the movie for the first time, I already was thinking, “Oh, why him? Why not me? I want to be a Karate Kid.” But now I become a Miyagi. 40 years later, the movie is a success, and when I see Ralph, I just don’t believe it. “Wow. That’s Daniel.” We work together. Now we are becoming a Miyagi and Daniel. For me it’s just amazing.
(L to R) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: Ralph, what was it like to reprise your iconic character on the big screen and share scenes with the legendary Jackie Chan?
Ralph Macchio: I mean, that was super special. Jackie’s legendary in his career, his stunt work as an actor, and his personality in the industry is so well respected. So that was just like anytime you can work with an element of greatness, I’ll take it. I want to learn. Every experience I want to learn and gain from. The character of Daniel Russo is near and dear to the world. He has become a piece of pop culture. The original films, very few have that kind of staying power. Then through the ‘Cobra Kai’ series and how that exploded, and we got to explore different sides of all those characters and in a whole new generation of karate kids in that show then leads us to, “Okay, how do we connect these worlds?” Using that footage from ‘The Karate Kid Part II’ where we learn and are reminded that Shimpo Sensei fell asleep off the coast of China and brings back the secret to Miyagi karate to Okinawa. Now we connect the worlds. For me, it was just about how to be honest, truthful, and genuine to LaRusso. We find him in a place that he’s in this grounded element of wisdom at this point of his life, and how he can spread a piece of the legacy of Miyagi forward and help a kid in need. Then connecting the Kung Fu and the karate. It was like, okay, there’s a lot of boxes to check, but there’s organic stories to tell for a fresh new generation and in a different style. Then you add Ben to this, because my question was, “Who’s the kid?” If you don’t have a kid and you’re not leaning in and rooting for this kid in this movie, then you could come up with all the Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio you want but we need to love this kid. You need to get on his shoulders like you did with LaRusso and the other characters. Then Ben has delivered in a way that’s so cinematic and so much fun. Yet the through line of the same human themes that made ‘The Karate Kid’ what it is today are there and hopefully for a whole new generation.
Ben Wang in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
MF: Finally, Ben, what was it like for you to join this franchise and what did you learn from working with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio?
Ben Wang: I was a huge fan ever since I was a kid. I saw Jackie’s ‘Karate Kid’ film when I was in elementary school in a theater with my mom. Shortly thereafter I started doing after-school martial arts. So, it’s the start of what got me here in the first place. Ralph’s films were passed down to me by my aunt because they were her favorite films. So, I have known these films for as long as I remember watching movies. I am a fan, so I understand why there’s so much goodwill and so much love for this whole franchise. It was exciting for me to get to be the center of this next part and to bring the two film universes together. It’s also really terrifying because as a fan, if it wasn’t me, I’d be like, “Who’s this kid? Can he do it?” So, I knew I had a lot of work cut out for me.
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What is the plot of ‘Karate Kid: Legacy’?
In Karate Kid: Legends, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
Yet the studio’s latest idea is even more unexpected: it is crossing the streams. No, a ‘Karate Kid’/’Ghostbusters’ mash-up is not incoming (though we’d watch that). Instead, Ralph Macchio of the original three films and Jackie Chan from the reboot are teaming up, with ‘American Born Chinese’ lead Ben Wang as the young man who needs some help.
Added to the list? Joshua Jackson, most recently seen on small screens instead of big in the likes of ‘The Affair’ and ‘Fatal Attraction’.
(L to R) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’
The movie, which has yet to announce a formal title (besides being a fresh take on the ‘Karate Kid’ film concept), is largely keeping its plot under wraps, but the latest iteration will reportedly bring the story to the East Coast and focus on a teen from China who finds strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.
Macchio’s involvement in the franchise of course stretches back to the 1984 original, where he played scrappy hero Daniel LaRusso, who was trained to fight back (with honor!) against bullies by the late Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi. More recently, he’s been seen trying to keep the Miyagi training spirit alive via his own students in ‘Cobra Kai’.
(L to R) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
Chan was Mr. Han, a handyman and master of kung-fu who trains young Dre (Jaden Smith) after he and his mother move to China in the 2010 movie.
How the two characters will end up sharing the screen remains to be seen, but it certainly sounds like they’ll be joining forces to help Wang’s character.
Ben Wang stars in ‘American Born Chinese.’ Photo: Disney/Carlos Lopez-Calleja.
Preview:
Ben Wang has landed the main role in the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie.
Franchise veterans Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio will star.
The movie is scheduled to be released in December.
Back in November, we learned that Sony was looking to revisit its popular ‘Karate Kid’ franchise with a new idea –– combining the leads from both iterations, the 1980s-set original movies and the 2010 re-imagining.
Ralph Macchio, who played freshly-transplanted Brooklyn teen Daniel LaRusso, who struggles to fit in in his new California home and who is trained by wise, quirky Karate sensei Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) will be back from the ‘80s movies.
And Jackie Chan, who played Mr. Han, a master of kung-fu (quite while it’s still called ‘The Karate Kid’ is a mystery to us) who trains young Dre (Jaden Smith) to fight back against bullies after he and his mother move to China, is returning from the 2010 outing.
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The storylines would seem to exist in entirely different cinematic universes, but if comic book movies have taught us anything these days, it’s that universes can crash into each other all the time.
Back then, a key element still missing was the actual “Kid” of the title, but despite Chan and Macchio helping to launch a global casting search that saw 10,000 entries in the first 24 hours, The Hollywood Reporter brings bad news for the unknowns who were hoping to launch a career: Ben Wang has landed the role.
What’s the story of the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie?
Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
The movie, which has yet to announce a formal title (besides being a ‘Karate Kid’ film), is largely keeping its plot under wraps, but the latest iteration will reportedly bring the story to the East Coast and focus on a teen from China who finds strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.
He apparently delivered an excellent audition and brings several advantages to the role, including fluency in Mandarin and skill in a variety of martial arts.
Who is making the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie?
(L to R) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
Jonathan Entwistle, known for his and award-winning teen television dramas ‘I’m Not Okay with This’ and ‘The End of the F***ing World’, is directing the movie from a script by Rob Lieber, whose past credits include Sony’s ‘Peter Rabbit’ and Disney’s ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day’.
When will the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie be in theaters?
With a “kid” now in place, Sony can be more confident in getting this one moving, having already planted a flag in a December 13th, release date, with a shoot penciled in for this coming spring.
(L to R) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’
(Left) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures. (Right) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
Preview:
Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio will star in a new, untitled ‘Karate Kid’ movie.
Jonathan Entwistle will direct the movie based on a script by Rob Lieber
A search is underway for a young Chinese actor to take on the title role.
Every studio, when it has a recognizable title in its library, looks to keep the money flow going by finding new ways to bring it to screens.
The latest example? Sony, which is now looking to extend the ‘Karate Kid’ universe. Or, in this case, cross over the characters (well, one) from the 1984 original film to those (well, again, one) from the 2010 re-imagining.
Ralph Macchio, who played freshly-transplanted Brooklyn teen Daniel LaRusso, who struggles to fit in in his new California home and who is trained by wise, quirky Karate sensei Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) will be back.
As will Jackie Chan, who played Mr. Han, a master of kung-fu (quite while it’s still called ‘The Karate Kid’ is a mystery to us) who trains young Dre (Jaden Smith) to fight back against bullies after he and his mother move to China.
(L to R) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
The story storylines would seem to exist in entirely different cinematic universes, but if comic book movies have taught us anything these days, it’s that universes can crash into each other all the time. Perhaps this is the birth of the ‘Karate Kid’ multiverse?
Of more concern is why no one from remarkably successful original ‘Karate Kid’ spin-off ‘Cobra Kai’ is involved. That Netflix series has continued the 1980s movies’ story in the modern era and is truly entertaining. But no mention of it or its creative team is made in the report of the new movie.
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What’s the story of the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie?
(L to R) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
The movie, which has yet to announce a formal title (besides being a ‘Karate Kid’ film), is largely keeping its plot under wraps, but The Hollywood Reporter has discovered that the latest iteration will bring the story to the East Coast and focus on a teen from China who finds strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.
Who will play the new Karate Kid?
(L to R) Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
That’s the key question right now, and one that the producers are looking to answer through a global search.
Chan and Macchio fronted a video launching the global hunt for the young Chinese talent who can play the teen. So, we’ll wait and see who gets selected to join the two stars.
Who is making the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie?
Jonathan Entwistle, known for his and award-winning teen television dramas ‘I’m Not Okay with This’ and ‘The End of the F***ing World’, is directing the movie from a script by Rob Lieber, whose past credits include Sony’s ‘Peter Rabbit’ and Disney’s ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day’.
When will the new ‘Karate Kid’ movie be in theaters?
Even without a “kid” in place, Sony is looking to get this one moving quickly. It has already planted a flag in a December 13, 2024, release date, with a shoot penciled in for this coming spring.
Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the four Turtle brothers (Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon) set out on a quest to be accepted as normal teenagers by the people of New York City through acts of heroism. With the aid of their new friend April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri), the brothers go on a hunt for a mysterious crime syndicate, but trouble arises when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Jeff Rowe about his work on ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ what he wanted to adapt from the source material, developing the animation, having the actors record together, and how the classic video game ‘Tony Hawk‘s Pro Skater’ inspired the music for the film.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ director Jeff Rowe.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Rowe, Ice Cube, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about developing the screenplay with Set Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and what were some of the elements of the source material that were really important for you to include in this movie?
Jeff Rowe: I mean, I think it’s a lot of things, you got to have Splinter, and you got to have the turtles. They have to essentially be their personalities that they’ve always been. But the biggest initial pivot was like, “We need to make them teenagers. We need to make them feel like real teenagers,” which means the situations they’re going to encounter are going to be relatable to actual teens, as much as possible with a crime plot in the film. Then also, they need to respond emotionally to things like the way a teenager actually would. We love so many of those mutant characters and designs. We found a way to incorporate a lot of things that I thought were cool into the film, but it all just started with we’re going to make them authentically teens.
(L to R) April O’Neil, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
MF: What was the look and style that you were going for with the animation and what were some of the lessons you learned on ‘The Mitchells vs the Machines’ that you were able to apply to making this movie?
JR: We just wanted to make it look different and make it unique. It’s a new version of the characters and we wanted them to have their own visual identity in the world, and hopefully in a way that supports the characters. So much of the story is about them feeling alienated, wanting to be accepted and feeling flawed that to make them slick and cool looking and perfectly designed, just felt dishonest to them. ‘The Mitchells vs. The Machines’ taught us that this is technologically possible. I think studios used to hide behind technology as like, “Oh, well you can’t do that. The computers aren’t there yet.” But in a post ‘Spider-Verse’ world, and post ‘Mitchells,’ it’s like, no, we can, I know what the machines can do and they can do this, so let’s make it happen.
(L to R) Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
MF: Why was it important for you to have all the actors record their performances together?
JR: It made it crackle with electricity. It made them so alive and it just let them be relatable and talk to each other. So much of the interaction when you’re a teenager, it’s like your friend says something and you’d roll your eyes and you make a comment about it, or you make fun of them and they make fun back and it’s so hard to script that. But when you get them recording together, it just happens naturally. Then the job became, how do we capture that? How do we edit that? How do we keep the story going while maintaining the loose improvisational nature?
(L to R) Micah Abbey, Brady Noon, Nicolas Cantu, and Shamon Brown Jr. star in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
MF: Finally, can you talk about the music in the movie and taking inspiration from the music of ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ video game?
JR: It wasn’t necessarily inspiration from ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater,’ but we had a bunch of different things and I love the ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ games, and we had hip hop, we had some punk songs and some metal songs in there at one point that kind of dropped out and we’re like, “Why does this fit together?” It’s just because all of the songs feel rebellious. They’ve got this kind of anti-authority energy to them, which is quintessentially teenage, and then that plus the Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross score, it just felt like things that you wouldn’t naturally think to put together, but as Tony Hawk proved, can coexist.
Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
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(L to R) April O’Neil, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
Striking animation and its rapid dialogue make ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ a fun watch in theaters. The heroes in a half-shell take on the powerful Superfly while juggling their desire to fit in with the human world in the latest animated feature by Paramount.
In ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ teenage turtle brothers Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo are sheltered within the sewers of New York, longing to be like normal teenagers. They meet April O’Neil, an inspiring journalist who asks for their help in taking on a mysterious crime syndicate. They soon realize there is a much more dangerous threat that could bring harm to New York City.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?
One of the most eye-catching elements of this movie is the animation style. It resembles the style we see in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ mixing 3D animation and 2D hand-drawn design. It’s very distinct and perfect for the quippy dialogue and fast-paced action scene. The film includes plenty of references for dedicated Turtle fans, yet it is modern and hip for the new and younger audience as well.
Story and Direction
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ director Jeff Rowe.
The film is directed by Jeff Rowe and Kyle Spears and gives the iconic turtle teens a fresh start. Opening the movie with an introduction to scientist Baxter Stockman and his work with mutation, the agents of T.C.R.I storm Stockman’s lab in order to steal his research. Stockman’s mutated fly fights back to in order to protect him, resulting in the lab being destroyed and some of the mutagen leaking down the sewer. This quickly establishes the antagonist, later named Superfly, as well as other well-known mutants such as Bebop and Rocksteady. This also builds the foundation for the inevitable battle between the Turtles and Superfly.
While long-time fans are familiar with the origin of the turtles, there will be new audiences who are just meeting them for the first time. The film quickly sets up the dynamic of the brothers through their wisecracking banter and their undeniable bond. Although we know the Turtles to be crime fighters in past iterations, the movie doesn’t have the brothers battling villains right off the start. It focuses on the “teenager” part of the movie title and shows that although they don’t complain about running basic errands for their dad, they also long to stay above the sewers to enjoy normal things like a drive-in movie or see a concert, which gets them in trouble with Splinter who often warns them about the humans.
Through a quick and hilarious exposition montage by Splinter of his and the Turtles’ origins, we understand why Splinter often cautions the brothers against being among the humans. Reluctantly, the brothers stay hidden in the shadows, away from humans and the world they long to be a part of.
(L to R) Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
Past ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ movies and TV shows often cast adult actors as the leads, but in ‘Mutant Mayhem,’ the voice talents behind the four brothers and April O’Neill are, in fact, teenagers. This provided the characters with an authentic youthful energy. Combined with their use of modern lingo and endless references to pop culture, this energy carries through the entire film, making the movie quite fast-paced.
The first two acts of the movie doesn’t focus too much on Superfly, even though he is the villain of the story. Instead, it focuses on the Turtles’ desire to be a part of the human world and do normal teenage things like go to high school. It also tells the story of why Splinter is so strict about the Turtles being seen by the humans, as he recollects his bad experience of being shunned and chased by humans. Aside from the awesome action sequences, the larger story is about the desire to fit in and be accepted for who you are.
Ice Cube as Superfly in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ which opens in theaters on August 2nd.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtes’ has been around since the 80s, starting out as a comic book created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Since then, many iterations have been created, from animated series to live-action movies. Fans heading into ‘Mutant Mayhem’ will need to keep their eyes and ears peeled for easter eggs and references. A segment of the “Ninja Rap” from 1991’s ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II’ can be heard in one of the scenes. Other familiar phrases like “Cowabunga” can also be heard in the movie.
This animated film also includes many modern references, as the Turtles long to be a part of the humans and learn what they can through social media since they can’t interact with humans. The brothers referred to current musicians and media such as Beyonce, BTS, ‘Attack on Titan,’ the ‘Avengers‘ movie, and more.
Final Thoughts
The movie’s vibrant animation and hilarious writing make this an entertaining watch. The witty and rapid banter between all the characters keeps the energy high and the laughs coming throughout the whole movie, though at times, some jokes were repeated too much that it grew tiresome. Seeing the Turtles somersault between building and hitting their iconic poses will take you down nostalgia lane. This movie gave the well-known franchise a fresh start without erasing the good of the previous movies and series.
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
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What is the plot of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the four Turtle brothers (Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon) set out on a quest to be accepted as normal teenagers by the people of New York City through acts of heroism. With the aid of their new friend April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri), the brothers go on a hunt for a mysterious crime syndicate, but trouble arises when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
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Who is in the cast of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor and musician Ice Cube about his work in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ joining the popular franchise, his love for the Turtles, playing the villain Superfly, the recording process and bonding with his co-stars.
Ice Cube stars in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Ice Cube, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, and director Jeff Rowe.
Moviefone: To begin with, were you a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before joining this project and what does it mean to you to be a part of this franchise?
Ice Cube: Oh, yeah, a big fan. I’ve been checking them out since the ’80s and I took my kids to the movies and dealt with the lunch pails, the bedspreads, the action figures and all that. Remember when Kevin Durant went to the Warriors and they was already champs? It’s kind of like that. It’s like joining a championship franchise and getting a chance to make a difference. So, it was a dream come true for any actor.
MF: How would you describe Superfly in your own words and was it challenging finding the character’s voice?
IC: Superfly is the King of New York. Everything that’s bad, you’ve got to run through him. You’ve got to check in, for sure. But he has a heart. He don’t want to be an ugly Superfly. He wants friends. He wants acceptance. He just wants people to like him. He just wants to go to happy hour and eat his bowl of sugar and smoke a cigar, man. You know what I mean? It’s one of those things where he’s a guy you can understand, and if you don’t give him that, he tears up New York.
Ice Cube as Superfly in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ which opens in theaters on August 2nd.
MF: I understand for this film, the recording process was done differently than on other animated movies as you actually got to work with the other actors you were performing with. Can you talk about that process and what was that like for you?
IC: It seemed like all animation should be done this way. You get a different kind of performance when you’re in the room with other actors who can match your timing, and you guys can kind of bounce off each other. It’s why the film feels so real and natural, and it doesn’t feel like the standard animation where you can tell somebody’s in a pristine studio, and they’re by themselves, and they’re trying to make it sound like they’re part of a group. This is the way to do it.
MF: Finally, did that process allow you to bond with the four actors playing the Turtles, and what was it like for you working with them?
IC: Very cool. All of them have great energy. All of them have great voices. When you think of animation, you think of people with amazing voices. How do you have a voice that’s perfect for a cartoon, especially when they’re young? I’m always amazed at these perfect voices that are chosen in animation, not just ‘Ninja Turtles,’ but most animation, they find the people with the most unique sounding voices that’s usually perfect. So, I like listening to them talk.
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(L to R) Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’
In amongst a batch of release date announcements, Sony quietly confirmed something that has been rumored for a while now. The studio is ready to get back in the ring for some more martial arts action, as another ‘Karate Kid’ movie is in the works.
Rather than focusing on Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) or the more recent version of ‘Karate Kid’ in 2010 that starred Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, this will be an entirely new story – though still focusing on Kung Fu as in the 2010.
According to an August report from Murphy’s Multiverse, the new movie would focus on a teenager named Li who, after a tragedy, moves from Beijing to Brooklyn with his mother, a doctor.
Dealing with a life that has suddenly been uprooted, Li tries to make it work in New York, and meets a student at his new school named Mia. He ends up training her father, Victor, in Kung Fu, much against the wishes of his mother, who abhors violence and fighting. It’s certainly a different dynamic from the usual older-mentor-younger-student style of the previous movies.
All of this, of course, is only rumor for now, though that report mentioned ‘Peter Rabbit’s Rob Lieber writing the script.
Disappointingly, the movie won’t involve the team or cast from ‘Cobra Kai’, which has been expanding the ‘Karate Kid’ franchise for several years now on TV screens, first on YouTube and then Netflix.
A fifth season of the show just landed on the streaming service and while we can understand that creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg might be too busy on the next season (and the other projects they’ve set up in the wake of ‘Cobra Kai’s success), we can’t help but wonder what that team would have done with a new movie, ramping up the continuing story of Daniel, Johnny and their various students.
Hurwitz confirmed as much on Twitter, answering a fan who asked if he and the team would be part of the new movie.
The guys and I would love to make Karate Kid and Cobra Kai movies and hope to someday. But this one isn't from us or focused on the Cobra Kai cast. Don't know much about it, but wish it well. #KarateKid#CobraKaihttps://t.co/pd2aYYAF0A
Assuming it all comes together, the new ‘Karate Kid’ will be out on June 7th, 2024.
And that’s not the only movie landing a release date – or seeing one shift. Among the other announcements are an untitled based-on-truth ghost story launching on January 6th next year, followed by the next installment of the ‘Searching’ franchise, called ‘Missing’, on February 24th.
Adam Driver-sci-fi movie ‘65’ is shifting to March 10th, while Sony/Marvel movie ‘Kraven the Hunter’ is on the move to 6th October.
Fellow Sony/Marvel title ‘Madame Web’, meanwhile, is headed out of 2023 altogether, moving to February 16, 2024. The new animated ‘Garfield’ movie will open May 24th, 2024, while an untitled Sony/Marvel title is scheduled for July 12th, 2024.
(L to R) William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence and Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso in 1984’s ‘The Karate Kid.’
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