‘The Karate Kid’ Remake Waxes On With Jaden Smith

Posted by Rob Hunter (rob@filmschoolrejects.com) on November 11, 2008

Will and Jaden Smith

The oft-rumored remake of The Karate Kid is back on track with a writer, producers, and a new star attached. Variety reports that Columbia Pictures has refashioned the 1984 classic as a star vehicle for Jaden Smith. Will Smith will produce with his production company, Overbrook Entertainment. Chris Murphy’s script moves the action to Beijing and elsewhere, but the plot remains basically the same as in the original with a bullied youth taking refuge under the wing of an eccentric older man.

The Karate Kid spawned two sequels throughout the eighties, all starring the eternally youthful Ralph Macchio. The mid-nineties saw the release of The Next Karate Kid, which is remembered as the first film to star Hilary Swank playing a boy. All four films also starred Pat Morita as Mister Miyagi.

Jaden Smith made his film debut alongside his father in The Pursuit of Happyness, and will also be seen in next month’s The Day the Earth Stood Still. Following in his father’s footsteps, Jaden has already pressured the studio to alter the ending to The Karate Kid reboot. **SPOILER** Reportedly, his character notices familiar traits in his mentor before realizing that the wise, old man is indeed himself from forty years in the future. Smith plans for the film to be the first in a karate/time travel trilogy.

What do you think of this news? Do you think of this news? Did you ever wax on or off to Hilary Swank?

Related Reading:

Comment Policy: No hate speech allowed. If you must argue, please debate intelligently. Comments containing selected keywords or outbound links will be put into moderation to help prevent spam. Film School Rejects reserves the right to delete comments and ban anyone who doesn't follow the rules. We also reserve the right to modify any curse words in your comments and make you look like an idiot. Thank You!

David G

I hope that time travel thing is just a joke. Geez If its not Will SMITH then its his kids, huh? Take a vacation Smiths!! At least give us one. Oh if only Mr. Myogi were here. Sigh..r.i.p. Okinawa Man.

TL

Sweep the leg.

k(Black)

Seems as if Hollywood needs a reboot to get some new ideas instead of rehashing old ones.

Jason

Please say the time travel angle is pure bunk. That would just ruin it. If they're gonna remake this film, which shouldn't be remade in the first place, at least bring another Asian American actor in to be the mentor. It's another opportunity for an Asian American actor to get some work. If they make the mentor a 40 year old version of Jaden, then they basically cut out the Asian mentor altogether. Of course, what am I saying? Most McDojos, oops I mean karate schools, have non-Asian teachers nowadays anyway. Hmmm, it just might work. (sarcasm)

Meli

Rebooting Karate Kid into sci fi sounds like a horrible idea!

BmOvie74

Will Smith just needs to stop it. I personally like him in most the movies he's in, but his son is wack and only getting movies b/c of who his dad is. I hate when kids try to follow in the footsteps of their parents before they've become old enough to earn anything from their own hard work. Lil' Romeo would have never put out an album if he wasen't Master P's son - and the same goes for this.

Adam Sweeney

Memo to Hollywood execs, quit raping classic films or we will sic the Cobra Kai on your ass!

astroblack

Not feeling the idea. Sorry, Will.

Linda

"The Karate Kid" should not be remade. Period. If you want to watch "TKK," watch the original. I like Will Smith, but he needs to keep his hands off of "The Karate Kid."

HempKnight757

Kool bunch of wack movies I won't being going to see. Remakes, remakes, remakes.

‘The Karate Kid’ Remake Waxes On With Jaden Smith

Related Topics:

Related Reading: