Jackie Chan returns: Karate Kid reboot promises action-packed thrills
A new film with Jackie Chan? You're in luck. Here is the latest news about the production, including a picture from the set showing how the "Rush Hour" actor looks today.
Who remembers "Rush Hour," "The Tuxedo," or "Shanghai Knights"? These are some of Jackie Chan's most popular films. His career has recently slowed down somewhat, although he hasn't retired from acting. The headlines have been more about the star’s family issues than roles in new productions - let us recall that the media reported on Jackie Chan's daughter being homeless.
Jackie Chan's new project
Sony announced a global search for a new hero for the "Karate Kid" series, who will star alongside Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio. The casting was won by Ben Wang, who, despite his experience in taekwondo, didn’t initially see himself as a candidate.
Wang surpassed over 10,000 candidates, landing the role of Li Fong, a teenager from Beijing who moves to New York. "When a new friend needs help, Li takes part in a karate competition," reads the plot description of the new film, which is set for release in 2025.
Jackie Chan, present on set, contributed many ideas to the new production. "He was like the magical Dumbledore to us on set, and he's like that in the movie too," says director Jonathan Entwistle in an interview with EW.com. Chan often surprised the crew with his ideas for action scenes.
– There’s a wonderful fight sequence in the movie, which I'm not going to spoil, and Jackie had the idea to jump out at Ben from a random corner of this space, without Ben even knowing where he was going to be. He wanted to jump out from the spot that would have the most effect. He was always looking for an opportunity to either roll on the floor, roll over a table, jump off a staircase — he would just be like, "I will do this." None of us ever had a choice. It was like, Jackie would have an idea, and we just filmed it because it's Jackie, and it would always be awesome – comments the director.
In the first photos published in the media, you can see how Jackie Chan, at the forefront of the crew, presents himself in the film.
Let us recall that the film story of "The Karate Kid" dates back to the late '80s. The first film in the series, which featured Pat Morita and a young Ralph Macchio, debuted in cinemas in 1984 and earned slightly over £72 million. However, it became a cult title for many. Macchio starred in several teen films, but his career didn’t progress further. He recently returned to the "Karate Kid" universe by starring in the series "Cobra Kai." Will this new take on the story appeal to fans and attract a new audience to the cinemas?
