The Karate Kid

[GeneChing]

WILL SMITH TO DIRECT KARATE KID REMAKE (http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/will%20smith%20to%20direct%20karate%20kid%20remake _1045217)

Actor WILL SMITH will be donning his director's cap for his next project - a remake of 1984's KARATE KID. The Pursuit of Happyness star, 39, is reportedly working on a modern-day version of the martial arts movie, with his nine-year-old son Jaden taking on the lead role of Daniel, originally made famous by Ralph Macchio. Smith Jr. will star alongside Rush Hour's Jackie Chan, who will play the boy's mentor, Mr Miyagi, according to reports.

Any confirmation on this one?

[MasterKiller]

Is nothing sacred?

[sanjuro_ronin]

The horror...the horror....

[mkriii]

Tell me it isn't true. They're going to ruin a perfectly good, wholesome movie by trying to remake it using Will Smith's son and Jackie Chan as the teacher. I love Chackie Chan but he just doesn't seem to fit the charactor that we are all so used to imagining when we think of Mr. Miyagi. Does this mean that Danielson is now going to be Tyronson?

[CLFNole]

If Will Smith's son is 9 is this going to be a kids movie where one of the parents gets ****ed off and jumps in and Jackie opens up a can of whoop arse? I like Will Smith's movies and everything but to remake a project just so your kid can star in it, I am not sure.

Maybe they should remake Sidekicks instead afterall Chuck is still around. :p

[GeneChing]

A Karate Kid Remake?! (http://movies.ign.com/articles/823/823413p1.html)
UPDATED: IGN has heard an interesting rumor.
by Stax

September 27, 2007 - IGN has been informed by a reliable source that Sony Pictures is developing a remake of The Karate Kid that will be produced by Will Smith's Overbook Entertainment and Jerry Weintraub. Weintraub also produced the 1984 film, starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, and its three sequels.

We were also advised that Smith's son Jaden, 9, is attached to star in the remake. Jaden Christopher Syre Smith starred opposite his dad in last year's The Pursuit of Happyness, which was also released by Sony. We understand that this new Karate Kid is currently out to writers.

IGN didn't hear back from Weintraub's office or Smith's reps by time of publish, so until there's official confirmation consider this a rumor.

UPDATED: IGN has verified that the Karate Kid remake is among the projects listed in agencies' open writing/directing assignment newsletters sent to their clients. Sony Pictures, however, has advised us they are not officially developing the project.
There's some buzz about the idea on many film websites.

[doug maverick]

i doubt thats going to happen, its a huge rumour. and probably jut an idea. but if he does a retelling of it it might b good. stop hating.

[TaichiMantis]

And if it succeeds, will kids be begging their parents to sign them up at the nearest McDojo?:rolleyes:

[Jimbo]

I kinda doubt it. I'm not sure many people, including kids, get inspired to take up M.A. due to watching a movie anymore.

[Shaolinlueb]

only if i can done a blond wig and play johnny. that movie was awesome cause of the 80's ness of it. and pat played mr miyagi perfect.

"mr miyagi how did you do that?" (daniels refering to the bottles he just sliced inhalf)

"i don't know, first time!"

[doug maverick]

plenty of kids go to karate schools after seeing ma films man where u at.:D

[Shaolinlueb]

yeah i know, but that movie was a classic. you cant remake it. lol... er well you can but it wont be the same.

[BoulderDawg]

I kinda doubt it. I'm not sure many people, including kids, get inspired to take up M.A. due to watching a movie anymore.

Think again.....

All one has to do is to see the craziness going on with the Hannah Montana Tour. Major arenas are selling out in 10 mintes. Tickets are being scalped for thousands.

For what? For a 14 year old girl who plays a singer on TV.

Kids today believe what they see on TV and in movies. In fact they take TV a lot more serious than when I was a kid.

Now back to the MA....of course they will sign up but probably 98% of them won't last two months. But for the 2% who stick with it the movie was probably worth it.

[Jimbo]

My impression was that more kids nowadays are into American Idol and Lindsay than M.A. Lots of the kids I see walking around before/after karate class with their Gi's on seem to go because their parents want them to. May be different in other areas.

If they can make a good remake, good for them. Maybe they can make it better than the original. But the original was pure '80s, along with the John Hughes "brat pack" films and The Last Dragon. That's how I remember Karate Kid.

[doug maverick]

american idol and all that crap appeals to young girl but not to young boys my man, whats popular with young boys today is still martial arts all the popular japanese anime and even american anime have proved it, and if this movie gets made(which i kinda hope it does) there's gonna be another surge of kids running to take martial arts lessons. you sound out of touch man, is all the hollywood bullsh!t getting to you???;)

[The Willow Sword]

I am sick and fukin TIRED of all these god d@mned REMAKES of movies:mad:

is there no fuking creativity LEFT in hollywood? Do these dumbfuks have ANY new ideas??? Why on earth would they even WANT to remake the Karate Kid???

Some Hollywood actor with more money than he/she knows what to do with is prolly sitting there thinking "gee uhh you know i think we NEED another "Terms of Endearment" movie. YEAH!! what a great idea, ill remake TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and i will put hot young actors in it and make it even BETTER:rolleyes: then the original.

Or HEY because all the black hollywood actors think that Hollywood is more white oriented they will just make a black version of the film. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

sorry i am just ****ed right now that the sanctity of an 80's timeless and oscar worthy that it never got movie is now being put in the hands of the fresh prince:rolleyes:

Peace,TWS

[doug maverick]

i'm gonnatell yu what i tell other firends of mine u don't like it make your own movies or just don; go see it. thats the thing about movies u don;t have to see it. and if if people don;t see it people don;t make it. and i'm not gonna get into the "black verson" comment but whatever

[mkriii]

I feel your pain. Will Smith's son is playing the student. What's this world coming to? I guess instead of Danielson it's going to be Tyroneson. He's going to be a troubled youth on crack and stealing hub caps and Mr. Miyagi is going to teach him karate to get him off crack.

[The Willow Sword]

my POINT about the "black version" comment is that like the remakes that are going on they are nestled deeply in the RIDICULUOUS and STUPID. its not about going to see it or not it is KNOWING that it is out there and that eventually my cat like curiosity will want to rent it or spend a hard earned dollar at the $ movie house and waste 90 minutes of my life:mad:.

Peace,TWS

[mkriii]

How about the movie coming out about the black mafia gangsters. Who ever heard of such. There are black gangs but a black mafia, come on? Get Real. It's about the same thing. Their trying to re-do the Godfather. You can tell by the advertisements for that movie that thats what thier going for. Just ridiculous. Instead of putting a hit out on someone thier just going to cap em'......lol.

[The Willow Sword]

Actually i am looking forward to seeing "American Gangster". it looks good and not your typical Ice Cube "im from the ghetto ill bus a cap in yo a$$" movie.

of course i have ALWAYS been a fan of Ridley Scotts work. Peace,TWS

[GeneChing]

Anyone who was in the martial arts business in 1984 remembers the incredible windfall for the entire industry. The martial arts economy made an amazing leap, one of the largest in American history. Karate Kid stands alone as the most significant crossover film for the martial arts. That horde of new students filled the McDojos and the genuine schools alike creating more income for school owners and that spread across the entire martial industry. Sure, a lot of them quit. A lot of them always quit. That's the nature of martial arts. It's hard. It's not for everyone. But some stayed, more than what would have if the Karate Kids didn't come. What's more, those that quit at least walked away knowing a little more about martial culture.

I'm with Doug. I hope this does get made. I don't expect a lot but if you're a fan of martial arts movies, you're used to being disappointed. I don't really care about Danielson and Miyagi. I want to know who will play Ali (http://www.radiofree.com/profiles/elisabeth_shue/es182654.jpg). ;)

[The Willow Sword]

i am reminded of a great quote froma movie called Jurassic park where Malcolm played by jeff goldblum says "you people were so preoccupied with whether or not you could clone dinosaurs you didnt stop to think if you SHOULD".

well i put the same quote with the obvious changes with respect to remaking certain films.

we have come quite a long way since the 80's and martial arts films and i think that we can ALL Safely say that the martial movies of the past and now do their job of creating the market for the different styles and Mc Kwoons and McDojos out there. why do we need any more movies like Karate Kid? Its nostalgia and i would be on board if it werent for the fact that i think this remake is going to be STUPID and nothing more than a rich actors attempt to do something with his quadrillions that he should be doing something more productive with, rather than RE-making a film that has long since gone into the nostalgia vault.

Here is the actors line up for Wil SMiths Version

Karate Kid: His son of course
Mr Miyagi: Morgan Freeman
Ali: Queen Lahtifah
cobra Kai instructor:snoop dog
cobra kai Bully: dave chappelle

Looks like a GREAT line up:rolleyes:

Peace,TWS

[mkriii]

I was thinking more along the lines of Grandmaster Sin The' as the Cobra Kai Instructor and for Daneiel-son they could have Gary Coleman play the part. For Mr. Miyagi they can get Morgan Freeman or if Red Foxx was alive then him.

[The Willow Sword]

actually it is Jackie CHAN who is rumoured to play Mr Miyagi. Maybe this remake will be uhhhh watchable?

Peace,TWS

[sanjuro_ronin]

the only thing I liked about the original series was Miyagi.
A moral, ethical, humble walking fighting machine !!

Dude, if that is not the prototype for a Sensei, nothing is !

[GeneChing]

It's fun to see the knee-jerk reactions to this project here. For all we know, the project could be totally re-imagined, sort of like City of Fire into Reservoir Dogs. That's unlikely, of course, but I wouldn't get all rabid in denying this before I knew a little more. Oh wait, I forgot. This is our forum. We rabidly deny everything before we know the facts here. ;)

[doug maverick]

How about the movie coming out about the black mafia gangsters. Who ever heard of such. There are black gangs but a black mafia, come on? Get Real. It's about the same thing. Their trying to re-do the Godfather. You can tell by the advertisements for that movie that thats what thier going for. Just ridiculous. Instead of putting a hit out on someone thier just going to cap em'......lol.

your a moron who really doesn't know alot about waht going on in the world today. first offf american gangster is not about a black mafia it is nothing like the godfather either(ho do i know this well i worked on the set) its a true story about a drug dealer named frank lucas. oh and the "Black mafia" or what FBI calls the black mafia is real and very hard to crack, the feds have been trying to do it since th 60's when it came into being. but the idea of a black mafia goes back to l capone but thats another story and this a thread abouta film that may not evn be. i remember when kill bill was first anounce everyone on this board was bad mouthing it and saying how horrible it was going to be then it came out and all of u were sucking tarrintino's ****. and so what if the film is staring a black kid, let it its just a movie. willow sword i see what you were saying and i'm with you on that, but think about it we would all like more ma films made but if there is no demand for them then hollywood is not gonna waste money on it so just be happy that a top earner like will smith once to attach his name to it weather he should direct or not is an entirely defferent story. all i'm saing this is not imdb this a M.A. media forum lets act like we have some sence and as for mr. racist up ther talking abouta nine year old kid being on crack. grow up man

[Jimbo]

doug:
Maybe I am out of touch...I actually pay as little attention to Hollywood anymore as I can. But a lot of the young people I see around are into that stuff, even lots of the boys. That, and the opposite spectrum, they are into watching/talking about, and a small few actually practicing, MMA, moreso than karate/kung fu.

Oh, yeah, before Kill Bill came out I was one of those who was looking forward to it. But I have to say I WAS really glad Tarantino did not play Pai Mei; that would have been stupid.

[Shaolinlueb]

whats funny is, will smith in wold wild west played a role originally played by a whiteman. no complaints there from anyone. if a white man played a role originally played by a black man, al sharpten would be all over it. nothing against you doug, you know i love tlaking and working with you, its just the other a-holes out there. and yes there are the a-hole white people too.

heck i am going to remake shaft and play shaft!

[Shaolinlueb]

your a moron who really doesn't know alot about waht going on in the world today. first offf american gangster is not about a black mafia it is nothing like the godfather either(ho do i know this well i worked on the set) its a true story about a drug dealer named frank lucas. oh and the "Black mafia" or what FBI calls the black mafia is real and very hard to crack, the feds have been trying to do it since th 60's when it came into being. but the idea of a black mafia goes back to l capone but thats another story and this a thread abouta film that may not evn be. i remember when kill bill was first anounce everyone on this board was bad mouthing it and saying how horrible it was going to be then it came out and all of u were sucking tarrintino's ****. and so what if the film is staring a black kid, let it its just a movie. willow sword i see what you were saying and i'm with you on that, but think about it we would all like more ma films made but if there is no demand for them then hollywood is not gonna waste money on it so just be happy that a top earner like will smith once to attach his name to it weather he should direct or not is an entirely defferent story. all i'm saing this is not imdb this a M.A. media forum lets act like we have some sence and as for mr. racist up ther talking abouta nine year old kid being on crack. grow up man

if you ask anyone who lived in new york around the time of the black mafia and the peurto rican are the ones that chased the italian mafia out of nyc. so that movie is quite true and believable. the italians went to vegas, now there are only remnents of italian mafia in nyc, but they are mostly in rhode island and parts of mass.

[doug maverick]

i'm gonna ke a film called last black man on earth starring tom hanks. honestly what does it matter if the original person who played the character was white. man i was n a play and i played a 18th centuy chinese general. its cinema race is alwayssubject to change. ti about othello a black man plyed by white actors in black face for years. only in america are peopl so hung up by race. can we please get over this **** already and move on.

[mkriii]

Jimbo.....not only would Al Sharpton be all over it if a white man played the part that was originally a black man's but so would the "great" Rev. Jesse Jackson.

[Shaolinlueb]

those 2 guys annoy me sometimes. but doug is right cinema race doesnt really matter.

[BoulderDawg]

i'm gonna ke a film called last black man on earth starring tom hanks.

Real original quote here. Someone should tell that to Paul Mooney. He might used it on a TV show.

[doug maverick]

yeh maybe i should te him that. like knw one has eer seen the dave chappelle showand know its from there. shut up. and stay on topic please and thank you

[Li Kao]

the real reason why Hollywood always has and always will pump out remakes as well as make sequels is simply: $$$ Think of all the big movies in the past decade and how many were part of a franchise/sequel? The Karate Kid is one of the movies that has always maintained a cult following, so I'm sure the financial backing is banking on making a decent profit, which it will most assuredly will. Is there anyone on this forum who can honestly say they wouldn't see it, even if it was just out of curiosity?

I don't care as much about who's directing or acting in this one as much as long as they preserve the message of the film. Though given the current state of martial arts in America, I'm suprised they haven't made "The UFC Kid" yet. :D

[Goldenmane]

Will Smith is directing the movie, but his son is not going to star in it. Considering his kid's nine years old, I'm surprised anyone thought that Jayden would be chosen to star, even if it is his dad directing.

Frankly, I hold to the view that The Karate Kid was responsible for a whole lot of troubles with popular perception of the martial arts, and would like to see it shot and buried in an unmarked grave at the crossroads on a moonless night. I blame Karate Kid for the proliferation of idiots who thought that training in the martial arts includes moralistic preachiness and the whole "we train to fight so we don't have to fight" mindset that has permeated the m.a. world and enabled the graowth of the slappy-happy-dance-tourney industry.

If it wasn't for Karate Kid, we wouldn't have had the Three Ninjas. The world would be much better for it, too.

But then, I'm funny like that.

[doug maverick]

actually smith is producing not directing and last i heard his son is still involved in the project.

[Goldenmane]

Producing, directing... yeah, I mixed that up. I really should know better.

There's no credibility about a nine-year-old kid playing the lead role, though. Still, there's no credibility to the story anyway, so I guess that doesn't really mean anything.

[doug maverick]

well its just will smith expressing his interest in it and smith has star power. he can get 150 million dollar films green lit.

[mkriii]

Goldenmane.......I understand what your saying about how the Karate Kid was responsible for the whole idea about martial arts teaching moral principles and learning m.a. so you don't have to fight but doesn't martial arts kind of teach that anyways? I mean the whole thing about bowing when entering the kwoon or dojo and the bowing to your sifu or sensei, isn't that showing moral principle? Isn't that a form of showing respect? Didn't the samarai warrior teach and believe in the whole honor and respect and fighting only when you had to thing? I believe this had something to do with the code of bushido didn't it? I'm not axactly sure of what this code says but from what I understand it has to do a little bit about these things you say m.a. aren't supposed to teach. I understand that m.a. are for combat but if your good in whatever m.a. it is you do, does that give you the right to be a bully or go around starting fights and being disrespectful? Just my take on the subject.

:)

[SPJ]

I like the first episode of karate kid.

It was perfect.

wax on and wax off.

an okinawan vet dealing with precocious impatient teens.

before anything else.

wax on and wax off, then wax on all the cars.

paint the wall

--

classics.

:)

[SPJ]

even with remake, some new twists or ideas have to be introduced.

not just changing persons playing characters.

--

:)

[BoulderDawg]

I say instead of a remake why not just bring back Ralph Macchio(I'm sure he would appreciate the work) as Daniel and have him mentor a young kid.

[SPJ]

just make it new one and call it karate bro.

here is a script just for the fun of it.

an african american solider landed in normady or somewhere in europe or north africa. fought ss panzer division or german afrika korp etc.

he got to know a japanese/okinawan solider. so they became the best pals after the war. they both went back to their communities. will smith learned karate from jackie chan.

will smith saw kids involved in drugs, gangs, guns or bullies in the school yard. he started a karate school to teach some ethics and helped the kids stay in school and do no drugs. and the community loved him.

karate brothers or kung fu brothers.

:D;)

[SPJ]

the idea is that if we could win a foreign war at the front

we could also win the drug war at home front or our hood.

takes courage, heart and the whole community.

ain't no drug in my hood.

left, left, left right left. wax on and wax off.

--

:D

[doug maverick]

stick to your day job:D

[SPJ]

will smith leading in remake movies.

I like the "wild wild west".

I hope that they would make a similar if not greater leap in the remake of karate kid.

:):cool:

[Jimbo]

How's about a movie version of The Partridge Family?:P

[doug maverick]

yeah i hope they don't do that but then again this is hollywood we're talking about

[Yao Sing]

Get Some (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1023111/) just finished up filming and is currently in post scheduled for a 4/08 release.

It's pretty much Karate Kid for the MMA crowd. Might just go straight to DVD but it could put a damper on the re-make.

[Goldenmane]

Goldenmane.......I understand what your saying about how the Karate Kid was responsible for the whole idea about martial arts teaching moral principles and learning m.a. so you don't have to fight but doesn't martial arts kind of teach that anyways? I mean the whole thing about bowing when entering the kwoon or dojo and the bowing to your sifu or sensei, isn't that showing moral principle? Isn't that a form of showing respect? Didn't the samarai warrior teach and believe in the whole honor and respect and fighting only when you had to thing? I believe this had something to do with the code of bushido didn't it? I'm not axactly sure of what this code says but from what I understand it has to do a little bit about these things you say m.a. aren't supposed to teach. I understand that m.a. are for combat but if your good in whatever m.a. it is you do, does that give you the right to be a bully or go around starting fights and being disrespectful? Just my take on the subject.

Showing respect to the guy who is training you in the arts of fighting isn't morality, and is in fact completely divorced from such. In theory at least, this is a guy who can kick your @rse nine ways from Sunday, and you want him to teach you... not showing him respect is pretty much just asking for the former and begging for him to withhold the latter.

And regards samurai... I'd be willing to bet that they fought whenever they were told to by the guys in charge, like any armed forces anywhere anytime.

My beef with The Karate Kid is that it provided an avenue for exactly this kind of misapprehension to become the mainstream view of the martial arts. Look at the schools that have the dojo kun- one of the most commonly misunderstood and misinterpreted pieces of text out there- on the walls... they go on about respect and not using what you know and all this other shallow, pseudo-morality, and in virtually every case you will be looking at a school that doesn't actually teach the students any valid fighting skills.

Another beef I have with TKK is that Daniel-san didn't actually have to put in any decent amount of practice to become the supposedly amazing fighting machine that defeats his opponent, or whatever... (yeah, it's not like a point-tourney means anything, but the flick didn't exactly make that clear), thus apparently lending credence to the idea that you don't actually have to train (hard, against opponents, for extended periods) to become an accomplished fighter. This has, in turn, led to such travesties as people thinking that taking a Tae Bo class will provide them with real skills in self defense. And other such nonsense.

In other words, TKK was largely responsible for the flowering of total @sshattery in the western world as regards the MAs.

You know, right up to when people discovered Hong Kong cinema.

[Sidi]

Now I know there is no God! Bad Idea folks. Next thing you know they'll want to remake Star Wars. Then again if George Lucas lives long enough, they probably will! Anything for another dollar, that's the capitalist way!

[GeneChing]

...very interested...



Stephen Chow to Direct Remake of 'The Karate Kid (http://www.asianpopcorn.com/default.asp?display=1283)

Hollywood star Will Smith met actor-filmmaker Stephen Chow Friday in Hong Kong, where he attended the Asian premiere of the sci-fi thriller "I am Legend," and invited him to produce, direct and star in the remake of the hit 1984 martial arts movie "The Karate Kid."

Reports say Smith selected Chow because he likes the innovative actions in Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle," as well as his latest film "CJ7," which Smith had seen a rough cut edition at Sony Pictures Classics.
Stephen Chow

Chow told the media, "I'm very fond of 'The Karate Kid' and would love to join in the remake project, no matter as a producer, director or actor. But it depends on my schedule. As you know, next year I will work on two movies, 'Dragon Ball' and 'Journey to the West.'"

Will Smith hopes to shoot the movie in China.

[GeneChing]

The next questions are who plays Miyagi and Ali?



Will's Kid To Be New Karate Kid (http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-catch-all/2007/12/13/will-s-kid-to-be-new-karate-kid-86908-20242620/)

Dec 13 2007 Beverley Lyons And Laura Sutherland

HOLLYWOOD superstar Will Smith has confirmed his son is set to be the new Karate Kid.

The actor said nine-year-old Jaden is lined up to be the martial arts prodigy in a remake of the cult 80s film. He told US TV show Extra: "I met with a few people in China. We're looking to shoot there."

[doug maverick]

well if he shoots in china it should be called kung fu kid.

[doug maverick]

i told you guys to just be patient on this film, that it'll turn out right. don;t know if chow will direct i mean his plate is pretty full. the journey to the west thing look good. and he just finished producing the movie version of jump and he has dragon ball now to produce. the guy is a machine. hollywoods been wanting to work with chow more then jackie so i know they are happy.

[unkokusai]

How about the movie coming out about the black mafia gangsters. Who ever heard of such. There are black gangs but a black mafia, come on? Get Real. It's about the same thing. Their trying to re-do the Godfather. You can tell by the advertisements for that movie that thats what thier going for. Just ridiculous. Instead of putting a hit out on someone thier just going to cap em'......lol.



Interesting to see that the evidence of your racist tendencies manifested so early on...

[冠木侍]

american idol and all that crap appeals to young girl but not to young boys my man, whats popular with young boys today is still martial arts all the popular japanese anime and even american anime have proved it, and if this movie gets made(which i kinda hope it does) there's gonna be another surge of kids running to take martial arts lessons. you sound out of touch man, is all the hollywood bullsh!t getting to you???;)

Generalizations abound...makes me wonder how they get so many votes on AI. The target demographic seems to be more than just young girls...(I know quite a few who aren't interested in such things).

Isn't the term "American Anime" an oxymoron? Certain terms should just not be lumped together....

I've got no problems with Will Smith or Jaden but this doesn't seem to be a good idea. I myself don't see a surge of new martial arts practicioners. He can make whatever movie he wants. But will it be accepted by all the self proclaimed movie critics? It will definitely have a different "attitude" than the original. Not only are you changing the actor but he is only nine. Someone at the high school age would be more appropriate, especially if they are going to have a girlfriend on set (to make things believable).

**He replaced a 'white guy' in I Am Legend novel but the movie still seemed to do well.**

**Elizabeth Shue, was so cute in her role. Probably going to get some attractive newcomer actress to fill the role of the gf....

[doug maverick]

well considering anime is a style of cartoon, if its drawn by americans it becomes american anime. lol, as for the film who knows we'll see

[冠木侍]

well considering anime is a style of cartoon, if its drawn by americans it becomes american anime.

Anime is actually a term used to describe animation from a certain place. You should probably already know this; obviously 'anime' is a french word that is used by Japanese to describe animation in general. When other people (non-Japanese) say anime, they usually are just talking about cartoons that were conceived of and/or created in Japan. IOW, their unique way of animation. When Japanese use their term, they mean it to encompass all animation styles.

A bunch of contempo cartoons exhibit the "style" of anime or try to emulate its uniqueness but that is all that they are, imitations of the original style.

Like i said, probably something you were already aware of but might have just forgot due to the frenzy of posting on topics that you feel passionate about.

Take care.

lol, as for the film who knows we'll see

Funny to hear that. There are those here who have already passed judgment on this movie...

..................

[GeneChing]

I couldn't resist posting this one. Ralph has been in the where-are-they-now file for some time...

The Karate Kid to star in Ugly Betty (http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/celebrity-news/tv-news/274903/the-karate-kid-to-star-in-ugly-betty/1/)
Ralph Macchio to play city official in hit show
Wednesday, 24 September 2008

The Karate Kid is to make a comeback – in the new series of Ugly Betty.

Ralph Macchio, who has been out of the limelight since starring in the hit martial arts films, is lined up to do a guest appearance as city official Archie Rodriguez.

The actor won an army of fans playing Daniel LaRusso when the movie was released in 1984.

Ralph, 46, will be seen on screen in the US at the end of October.

[iron_silk]

I don't watch Ugly Betty...I tried but couldn't stand it...but good for Ralph on getting on a rather popular show.

No one who watched Karate Kid for good action (even as a kid I was making fun of the action) but I loved the actors, 80's music, and the story was done well enough.

I definitely identified as the outcast kid...the only thing I can't relate to is winning the tournament and getting the girl...I think I've said too much now.

[sanjuro_ronin]

46 years old?
****...I loved the Miyagi character other than that, not much was any good.
Sure the Sato one was a walking stereotype, Reese was hilarious and the Pony-Tail TKD guy in the 3rd was a walking cliche.
It was all good people !

[GeneChing]

He's probably still baby-faced tho.

Ugly Betty isn't nearly as good as Yo Soy Betty La Fea. Telenovelas are hot. Even with Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty can't match the original.

[doug maverick]

hey was on an ep of entourage. while he's not baby faced anymore he doesn't look a man who is four years away from being 50.

[GeneChing]

...but fresh.

Will Smith's son Jaden Smith to be new "Karate Kid" (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/11/will-smiths-son.html)

Jadensmith Will Smith’s showbiz dynasty is taking over Hollywood.

Jaden Smith starred with his doting dad in “The Pursuit of Happyness” and he’s also in the new sci-fi remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

Now he’s putting on his brown belt for another remake. This time, it's an updated version of the 1984 film, "The Karate Kid."

And it turns out the role is tailor- made for him: He's already into martial arts!

Variety says the new KK will shoot in Beijing and other international cities.

But don’t worry.

The plot will probably still be "Only the 'Old One' could teach him the secrets of the masters." And "He taught him the secret to karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands."

Thankfully.

It would be horrible if they tried a new plot.

Wonder who will play the late Pat Morita's mentor role? Any suggestions?

[peace&love]

What does everyone think about casting Gordon Liu as the new version of Miyagi?

[golgo]

I dont know about the new Karate Kid movie, but my personal childhood favorite is supposedly getting re-made: The Last Dragon. The only details I know is that Samuel L. Jackson is playing Sho'nuf and that Taimak will not be in the movie (neither will Vanity, I'm assuming).

[GeneChing]

I chased down the Variety article that was posted on Mon., Nov. 10, 2008, 9:00pm PT, which was spawned the Envelope blog above. The Variety is more informative.


Jaden Smith set for 'Karate Kid' redo (http://www.variety.com/VR1117995614.html?query=karate+kid)
Columbia taps Chris Murphy to write script
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Columbia Pictures is back in the dojo with a new version of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid," which has been refashioned as a star vehicle for Jaden Smith.

The film will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Overbrook Entertainment's James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz. Will Smith, who is the 10-year-old actor's father, co-starred alongside Jaden in his feature debut, "The Pursuit of Happyness," which Overbrook and Escape Artists produced for Columbia.

The script is being written by Chris Murphy, and the film will shoot next year in Beijing and other cities. While the new film will be set in that exotic locale, it will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.

China Film Group Corp. will co-produce in China.

The younger Smith, who next stars in "The Day the Earth Stood Still," is a martial arts practitioner.

Columbia presidents Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach said they had been trying to find a way to bring back the series, which began with three films that featured Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. A subsequent film launched the career of Hilary Swank.

[GeneChing]

Jackie sort of works for me for Miyagi, even though he's Chinese. If they plan on reworking it significantly, I could see it. But if they are relocating the story to China, shouldn't it be the Kung Fu Kid? :rolleyes:

Jackie Chan circles 'Karate Kid' remake (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i8bd9b0da7b2e5cc5f9d2fe9e5d4d7fbb)
Harald Zwart brought in to direct Columbia pic
By Steven Zeitchik and Borys Kit
Jan 13, 2009, 07:06 PM ET

Jackie Chan soon could be mentoring a karate kid.

The martial arts star is in negotiations to star in Columbia's remake of "The Karate Kid." He would take on the role of mentor Mr. Miyagi, made famous by Pat Morita in the original franchise.

The studio also has signed Harald Zwart to helm the picture, which possibly will begin shooting this year in Beijing.

Jaden Smith is set to star as the boy to be mentored by Chan's character. Like the original, which starred Morita and Ralph Macchio, the movie will examine the relationship between a martial arts expert and a boy who is picked on by bullies.

Will Smith, James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz's Overbrook Entertainment is producing along with the original film's producer Jerry Weintraub. The setting will be relocated from the U.S. to China. Chris Murphy has been attached to pen the screenplay.

The WMA-repped Chan, who next appears in Relativity's action-comedy "The Spy Next Door," has broad appeal overseas, which undoubtedly appealed to Columbia. His "Rush Hour" franchise has earned about $750 million worldwide.

The ICM-repped Zwart directed the tween hit "Agent Cody Banks" and Columbia's upcoming "The Pink Panther 2."

[enoajnin]

I heard that rumour about Jackie being Mr Miyagi and I thought how could it be the karate kid if Mr. Miyagi is from China. He probably wouldn't be named Miyagi, either. I'm sure the producers are saying just don't worry about it.

Some of our pundits on the radio didn't think Jackie would have the gravitas to play him, either. Maybe they need to see more JC movies. Or maybe they should reflect on the fact that Mr Miyagi started off as Arnold on Happy Days.

[ktkungfu]

I wish they would leave this movie alone. I Know the martial arts schools probabley need the boost in enrollments but they should think of another martial arts movie. If they do make it Jackie would be good Mr. Miyagi but the focus should be on kung fu.

[Shaolinlueb]

ralph machio was excellent in my cousin vinny. how could they forget those yuthe's.

[Zenshiite]

You know, I think of Ralph Macchio as Johnny from the Outsiders way more than I remember him for Daniel-san. I've seen The Outsiders more, and I like it better.

"Let's do it for Johnny!"

[GeneChing]

But a cute pic...

Hi-ya! Suri Cruise plays karate kid on a chilly New York day out with mother Katie Holmes (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1121685/Hi-ya-Suri-Cruise-plays-karate-kid-chilly-New-York-day-mother-Katie-Holmes.html)
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:08 PM on 19th January 2009

She may be only a few months away from her third birthday, but Suri Cruise is already proving quite the skilled youngster.

The toddler was spotted showing off her karate skills as she took a walk with her mum Katie Holmes on the streets of New York yesterday.

As the former Dawson's Creek actress kept a watchful eye on her daughter, the little girl stretched out her growing limbs as she performed a high karate kick on the streets of Manhattan's trendy East Village.

Karate kid: Suri Cruise does a karate kick as she walks with mother Katie Holmes down the streets of New York's East Village

Despite the chilly winter weather, which hovered around zero degrees yesterday, determined Suri looked happy without a coat as she larked around in her brown velvet dress and leggings.

The toddler was also wearing her trademark style staple - buckled ballet pumps.

As Suri practised her martial arts along the street, her 30-year-old mother had her hands full carrying her designer handbag, a Paddington Bear teddy and a £140 My Little Travelwrap cashmere blanket.

Under Mummy's watch: Katie looks in delight as her daughter keeps herself entertained

Even though Katie's Broadway run ended over a week ago, the actress is yet to move back to Beverly Hills, where she has a mansion with husband Tom Cruise.

She flew back to Los Angeles briefly a week ago to join her spouse at the Golden Globe after-parties, before returning to the Big Apple.

Suri has been living in New York City since September after temporarily relocating with her mother while Katie starred in the Broadway production of All My Sons.

The toddler's daily appearances on the streets of Manhattan made her a tabloid favourite and she was recently voted most influential celebrity offspring in a poll.

2009 is set to be a low-key year for Katie, who has no film roles lined up after her role in crime caper Mad Money last year.

No doubt, Katie will be planning a special celebration for Suri's third birthday on April 18 - which also marks the fourth anniversary of Katie and Tom's first date.

Meanwhile, husband Tom is set to start filming new comedy drama called Men in the next few months after he is finished promoting his latest release Valkyrie.

[GeneChing]

Macchio's comments won't trump Will Smith.

Macchio: 'Karate Kid' shouldn't be remade (http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a143981/macchio-karate-kid-shouldnt-be-remade.html)
Wednesday, January 21 2009, 06:48 EST
By Simon Reynolds, Entertainment Reporter

Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio has objected to the proposed remake of his '80s martial arts movie.

Speaking to MTV, Macchio confessed that he was happy to see the new version being met with a cool reception by fans of the original.

"It feels pretty good that some people are pretty angry that they're trying to remake The Karate Kid," he said. "It feels good that the public feels you don't touch certain things. Some times you go back to that, and probably shouldn't."

Macchio starred in 1984's The Karate Kid and two sequels before handing over the franchise's title role to Hilary Swank.

The 47-year-old claimed that replacing the late Pat Morita as karate mentor Mr Miyagi will be the biggest challenge the remake faces.

"From my personal view, the filling the void of what Mr. Miyagi was - and the magic of that character - is going to be the toughest task," he commented.

Jaden Smith will lead the cast of the new Karate Kid with Jackie Chan in the Miyagi role. The Pink Panther 2's Harald Zwart is directing, with Will Smith on board in a producer capacity.

[enoajnin]

At least Harold Zwart of Pink Panther 2 fame is directing. It must be quality. I know. I know. Judging before seeing is bad.

[Jimbo]

I agree that it should be changed to 'The Kung Fu Kid' if it's in China, and Jackie's character needs a different name, not 'Mr. Miyagi'. I mean, seriously. Unless they're going to make a set in China appear like Okinawa (I doubt it). The story will have to be changed so much due not only to it being in China, but Jaden Smith is way younger than the character Danny Laruso in the original (who was 16 or 17; I think Macchio was actually 22 - 23 years old at the time of filming). Needing to be changed so much, why even call it Karate Kid?! Also, others will disagree, but Jaden doesn't seem as likable onscreen either.

I agree with an earlier post that Gordon Liu would have been a good choice for a kung fu instructor. He's arguably a better actor than Jackie Chan, and would be good in a master role. If the martial art was kept Japanese, I would think Yasuaki Kurata would have fit the bill. He was suggested by someone on the KFC site, and IMO choosing him would have been a perfect choice (very good actor and karateman). I guess we'll have to wait and see how this works out to make a judgment on Jaden and Jackie, though.

[GeneChing]

Yoda to a young Skywalker indeed...

Will Smith Calls Original Karate Kid for Advice (http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b102798_will_smith_calls_original_karate_kid.html)
Wed., Mar. 4, 2009 7:05 PM PST by Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna

Will Smith gave Ralph Macchio quite the surprise recently, calling the Karate Kid star out of the blue to talk about his remake of the 1984 film. Smith's a producer on the updated kickfest, and his son Jaden is set to star.

"It was very cool," Macchio tells E! News. "He called and said, 'Would you mind getting on the phone with my son?' I felt like Yoda to young Skywalker."

The original Daniel-san, who currently has a guest spot on ABC's Ugly Betty, said Jaden was "adorable and completely respectful and excited. I just told him to have fun. That was my advice."

Macchio also says he might have talked a bit too "candidly" when he first spoke out about the remake in January...

At the time, Macchio said that he would not be involved with the remake and that he wasn't sure about the casting of Jackie Chan as Mr. Miyagi, originally played by the late Pat Morita.

But today Macchio told us, "I spoke too candidly about that at first. Look, I will look at anything that crosses the desk on it. But I really think for the sake of the connection to those films and certainly the original film, I think that they're going to want to create their own version of it that is its own thing."

He also said that a cameo doesn't interest him.

"If it was a character, a written role, I would not turn away looking at that," he told us. "I support them making their own hit franchise."

[Shaolinlueb]

god this movie sounds like complete garbage.

[GeneChing]

I guess Jackie heard me. :cool:

Jackie Chan looks to revamp his image with new film (http://www.3news.co.nz/Jackie-Chan-looks-to-revamp-his-image-with-new-film/tabid/817/articleID/97400/cat/84/Default.aspx)
Fri, 27 Mar 2009 8:03p.m.

Jackie Chan is 53 now, and despite breaking almost every bone in his body he is nowhere near retirement – but is considering a major image change.

Chan told Campbell Live and Film 3's Kate Rodger he wants to be taken more seriously, and be China's very own Robert de Niro.

"I don't want to be an action star my whole life," says Chan. "I want to be an actor. I want to be an actor who can fight, not a fighter who can act."

It is hardly surprising Chan is keen to slow down. He has starred in almost 50 films - doing all his own stunts. He is an uninsurable walking miracle.

In one of Chan's more death-defying stunts, where he jumped several stories inside a mall down a lighting pole, got straight up and finished the scene. He was electrocuted, seriously hurt his back and dislocated his pelvis.

"I remember when I met Stephen Spielberg, and I say, 'How you make the dinosaur movie, getting them jumping around, it's amazing!' 'Easy,' he said, 'I just push the button, button, button - Jackie, how you jump from the building?' I say, 'Easy - rolling camera, jump, cut, hospital. That's how we make action movie.'"

Rolling camera, jump, cut, hospital - the Jackie Chan mantra.

Chan started out in Hong Kong at 14 as a stunt man - no protection, no insurance, and no job if you get injured.

"When you get hurt, you fired, even when you're hurt you tell the director, 'I am fine.'"

Chan certainly was fine, learning the hard way courtesy of Bruce Lee, and would not be despatched so easily every again.

After Lee's untimely demise, Chan pioneered his own brand of action, delivered with slapstick humour and with the trademark Jackie Chan grin.

"No violence, no sex, always happy-go-lucky," he says. "Whenever you're punched you get up, nobody die in my movie, no bruise," he laughs. "Everybody survives."

After dozens of Chinese films, Hollywood came calling. The Rush Hour franchise may have lost him a few of his hardcore fans, but they were box office winners, and he is pretty open about his reasons for embracing the mainstream.

"Honestly, when I make some Hollywood film, only for the money. Honestly."

Now Chan is ready for the next chapter in his career, a move he hopes his audience is ready for too.

"Action star - the life is very short," he says. "For the last 10 years I change my character. Very difficult for the audience to accept me. Without action, without stunt, without jumping off the bridge, diving from the building..."

This is Chan's latest film, Shinjuku Incident, which opens here next week. It is not the Jackie Chan we know - here is a far darker more serious man, barely cracking a smile, and he is not necessarily the good guy.

His character 'Steelhead' leaves his home in China for Tokyo, searching for his hometown sweetheart. He finds her now married to the Japanese mob, and ends up in a brutal fight for his life, and those of everyone he loves.

"When you have nothing, the bad guy will use you to do bad things," says Chan. "But what can you do, you have to survive. Otherwise you just die on the street."

The role was a conscious decision to change his own image.

"If I continue to make these films, Rush Hour 1, 2, 3... I am tired. Every day doing the same thing. I want to change. I look at Robert de Niro and Dustin Hoffman, wow, you can do bad guy, good guy, he can play god, comedy, cartoon – there's so many things. I want to be a real actor."

Chan's not ready to turn his back on Hollywood entirely. He has just shot The Spy Next Door, and confirmed he has signed up to "wax on wax off" as Mr Miyagi in the The Karate Kid remake.

"They don't want to call it Karate Kid anymore," he says. "They want to call it Kung Fu Kid."

He is also looking to head to New Zealand next year to shoot part of his new film in Rotorua.

"New Zealand - beautiful place, all green... keep it that way!" he says. "So beautiful!"

[GeneChing]

This just crossed my desk:

Looking for:
Boy,
1. 11-13 yrs old
2. Light skin African American
3. 4'7" 60lbs
4. slim build and knows Wu Shu.
5. Must look like Jaden Smith (Will Smith's son)
6.Two months in China shooting

Let me know if you know someone that fits this bill. I have the contacts.
;)

[GeneChing]

I should see Pursuit of Happyness. Maybe it'll make this remake make more sense...

Karate Kid reboot comes together (http://movieblaze.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/karate-kid-reboot-comes-together/)
Posted by movieblaze under Blazin' News

It looks like Will Smith is assembling a very serious team for his family reboot 80s classic The Karate Kid. Not only has he drafted screenwriter Steve Conrad who penned tear-jerker The Pursuit Of Happyness for himself and his son, but he has also signed Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson to play Jaden’s single mother.

Conrad, who wrote The Weather Man for Nicolas Cage, replaces newcomer Chris Murphy who was original hired to form the script. The established writer currently has two other irons in the script-writing fire with both familial drama Aloft and Brad Pitt look-alikey comedy Chad Schmidt in pre-production.

Production on The Karate Kid/ Kung Fu Kid or whatever they are calling it now, kicks off next month with Agent Cody Banks director Harald Zwart overseeing the proceedings. Jackie Chan – who will assume the Mr Miyagi mentor mantle, now called Mr Han – must be practising his “wax on, wax off” technique as we speak.

Jaden plays Dre, a young boy who moves to California with his single mum and looks to a local martial arts teacher to coach him through being tough times in his new home by using moves like the Crane Kick to whoop some bully ass.

The film is due for release in July 2010.

[Jimbo]

Man, I really hope they don't have Jackie spewing fortune cookie proverbs.

[GeneChing]

I'm still wondering who will play Ali Mills...

Will Smith : Will Smith and family to shoot Karate Kid remake in China (http://www.newspostonline.com/entertainment/will-smith-will-smith-and-family-to-shoot-karate-kid-remake-in-china-2009061859585)

Actor Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are planning to got to China this summer for the filming of Karate Kid remake.

The couple will be producing the film, which will feature their son Jaden and martial arts king Jackie Chan.

“Will and I are producing our son’s movie, Kung Fu Kid, and we’ll be in Beijing for two-and-a-half months.

We’re really excited about that. The Smith clan will be in China this summer,” Contactmusic quoted Pinkett Smith, as telling U.S. news show Extra. (ANI)

[Shaolinlueb]

This just crossed my desk:


Let me know if you know someone that fits this bill. I have the contacts.
;)

funny, I fit all those.

[doug maverick]

This just crossed my desk:


Let me know if you know someone that fits this bill. I have the contacts.
;)

my little nephew would be perfect for this. if he was serious about his ma practice. but he's still probably better then most.

[Tensei85]

Sounds interesting,

Kung Fu Kid I hope it doesn't turn out to be generic. Maybe its a long shot...

[Tensei85]

But then again given its a rip off of Karate Kid, I suppose overly generic is in the lineup.

[doug maverick]

But then again given its a rip off of Karate Kid, I suppose overly generic is in the lineup.

actually if you would have read the many other post you would have known its not a ripoff but an official remake.it was changed to the kung fu kid, after many chinese elements such as jackie chan and the local "china" was added to the story.

[Tensei85]

actually if you would have read the many other post you would have known its not a ripoff but an official remake.it was changed to the kung fu kid, after many chinese elements such as jackie chan and the local "china" was added to the story.

That really doesn't make a difference...

The idea is the same, with additions to the story via characters, locations, etc.. really doesn't change the concept.

btw, I read all posts up to now...

Either way it will be interesting.

[GeneChing]

Still want to know who will be Ali....

'Boston Legal' Actress Taraji P. Henson to Star in 'Karate Kid' Remake (http://www.buddytv.com/articles/boston-legal/boston-legal-actress-taraji-p-29653.aspx)
Sunday, June 28, 2009

Taraji P. Henson, who played Whitney Rome on Boston Legal and most recently as Brad Pitt's mother in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, will soon take on yet another motherly role. This time, the BET Best Actress winner will be playing the mother of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith's son Jaden in the remake of The Karate Kid.

"I'm off to Beijing [soon] to work on a film," actress Taraji P. Henson revealed to MTV News. "They're remaking The Karate Kid."

The original Karate Kid is a 1984 film starring Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Elisabeth Shue. Upon its first theatrical release, it became a commercial success and has retained its popular following, spawning a short-lived animated series spin-off and three movie sequels.

The remake of the '80s classic is reportedly called Kung Fu Kid, though Henson referred to the film by its original title. Will Smith, who serves as producer to the project, has cast his real life son and Pursuit of Happyness co-star in the role originally played by Macchio, as well as action star Jackie Chan.

"Jaden Smith -- Will and Jada's son -- is playing the karate kid. I'm playing his mom," Taraji P. Henson explained. "And Jackie Chan is playing Mr. Miyagi."

According to reports, Henson's character is a single mother named Sherry who is forced to move with her son to China in order to keep her job.

Aside from Boston Legal, Taraji P. Henson has appeared on various TV series, including Eli Stone, CSI, The Division and Smart Guy. In the silver screen, she is also credited for her roles in The Family that Preys, Not Easily Broken, and Hustle & Flow. At present, she's working on the comedy Date Night starring 30 Rock star Tina Fey and The Office actor Steve Carell.


Some new writing chops for Karate Kid reboot (http://www.riskybusinessblog.com/2009/06/karate-kid-writer-steven-conrad.html)
By Steven Zeitchik

Kar It looks like the Karate Kid will get a dose of Happyness.

Columbia has brought on Steven Conrad, who penned 2006’s “The Pursuit of Happyness,” to work on the studio’s reboot of the 1980s film.

The studio has also signed Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson to play the mother in the pic. Henson said on the red carpet at the recent MTV Movie Awards that she was soon off to work on the film, but this marks the first time the studio has confirmed the news.

Relative newcomer Chris Murphy was originally hired to write the script of the reboot. Conrad has a relationship with two of “Karate’s” producers, James Lassiter and Will Smith, via “Happyness,” which the pair’s Overbrook Entertainment produced and in which Smith starred.

The CAA-repped screenwriter also penned the Nicolas Cage family tale “The Weather Man” and is attached to write the Scott Rudin-produced drama “Aloft” and the celebrity look-alike dramedy “Chad Schmidt,” the latter also with Sony.

Production will begin next month on the new “Karate,” which Harald Zwart is directing. Jaden Smith occupies the role played by Ralph Macchio in the 1984 film, while Jackie Chan takes on the Pat Morita part.

The pic moves from Japanese themes and a California setting to Beijing where, according to reports, Smith’s character has just moved with his single mother and finds himself the target of bullies before turning to Chan’s character as a mentor.

[GeneChing]

Or does Will Smith look a little like Samuel L. Jackson in the 1st pic?

Will Smith brings Kung Fu kid to Beijing (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2009-07/09/content_8402930.htm)
(CRI)Updated: 2009-07-09 15:12

Oscar-nominated American actor Will Smith was spotted in Beijing on Wednesday with his wife and children. But this time, he was not the biggest star.

Smith was escorting Jaden, his 11-year-old son, to meet the crew of the upcoming Sino-American film "Kung Fu Kid", which will feature the award-winning child actor, Sohu.com reported.

The Smiths also met with Jackie Chan, who will play Jaden's mentor. Will Smith will play the antagonist and is also one of the film's producers.

"Kung Fu Kid", a remake of the 1984 American blockbuster "The Karate Kid", will be filmed in Beijing and is expected to be released in June 2010.

Will Smith was nominated for Best Actor Oscar for his performance in the 2006 family drama "The Pursuit of Happyness", in which he worked with his son. The film also won the younger Smith a Breakthrough Performance honor at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards.


Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Will Smith and Family: Chillin’ in China (http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/will-smith-and-family-chillin-in-china-215425/)

They’re no strangers to massive media attention, and as they made their way through the streets of Beijing, China, Will Smith and his family attracted plenty of paparazzi.

The “I am Legend” stud was joined by his wife Jada Pinkett Smith and son Jaden as he made his way to Beijing Film Studio.

And this time, it’s Jaden who’s the star - he’ll be filming a new martial arts movie called “Kung Fu Kid” along with living legend Jackie Chan.

In the film (due out June 11th 2010) Jaden plays a boy whose mother moves to China for work. Over time he develops a love for martial arts and is taught by a Karate master (Chan).Karate master :rolleyes:

[Shaolinlueb]

its called kung fu kid, be he is going to be taught by a karate master. god people are idiots.

to me calling kung fu karate is like calling a muslim a jew.

[GeneChing]

Anyone else see Pink Panther 2 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53061)? There was a nunchuk (http://www.martialartsmart.net/Nunchakus.html) scene... :rolleyes:

Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start 'Karate Kid' remake (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j32HkP17UYiJWHh1mfJ2Dk2-7I8gD99DIL8O0)
By MIN LEE – 3 hours ago

BEIJING (AP) — Jackie Chan will play the wise kung-fu master in a Hollywood-Chinese remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid" that kicked off filming in the Chinese capital at the weekend, a movie company publicist said Monday.

Chan's young disciple in "Kung Fu Kid" will be played by Jaden Smith, the son of Hollywood superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, China Film Group spokesman Weng Li told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

In "The Karate Kid," Pat Morita plays the iconic building handyman Mr. Miyagi who trains one of his young tenants, portrayed by Ralph Macchio, into an accomplished fighter.

The co-production between the state-run China Film Group and Columbia Pictures started shooting Saturday in Beijing, Weng said.

"Kung Fu Kid" is being directed by Harald Zwart, who also directed "One Night at McCool's" and "The Pink Panther 2," Solon So, the chief executive of Chan's company, JC Group, told the AP.

Chan and Smith, along with Smith's parents and sister Willow, attended a traditional Chinese ceremony to mark the start of the shoot Saturday. Photos on China Film Group's movie news Web site show the Smith family and Chan holding incense sticks.

Will Smith — one of the film's producers — Chan, Zwart and others symbolically removed a piece of red cloth covering a movie camera, after which Smith gave Chan a hug, according to video posted on Chinese news Web site Sina.com. His hair done in a huge Afro and wearing a bright red track jacket and blue pants, Jaden Smith stood and waved when he was introduced. His father ruffled his hair when he sat down.

Chan said on his Web site he also attended the younger Smith's 11th birthday party last Wednesday, where he and Will Smith posed for pictures with young performers wearing red and yellow costumes with dragon patterns.

Ken Stovitz, one of Will Smith's partners in the production company Overbrook Entertainment, said at the ceremony Saturday that "Kung Fu Kid" will be set in modern-day Beijing. China Film Group chairman Han Sanping said shooting will last three months.

Chan juggles careers in Hollywood and Chinese-language film. The veteran 55-year-old Hong Kong action star will be seen in the upcoming the Hollywood action comedy "The Spy Next Door," about an undercover Chinese spy whose cover is blown, and the Chinese production, "Big Soldier," about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin dynasty.

Jaden Smith costarred with his father in the 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and appeared in the 2008 Keanu Reeves sci-fi movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

[GeneChing]

I re-hyperlinked this article directly to the sina.com vid of the red cloth removal ceremony.

Shooting Begins On Officially Retitled ‘Kung Fu Kid’ (http://screenrant.com/shooting-begins-officially-retitled-kung-fu-kid-ross-17060/)

A remake of the classic ’80s movie, The Karate Kid, is something that, when announced, was met with the same groans and “Please no!” responses (from most folks out there) similar to about every other dreaded remake. The fact that they reportedly changed the name to Kung Fu Kid, as well as the storyline that was reported being a bit on the cheesy side, didn’t exactly help matters.

Today we get the news that the title of this remake has officially been changed to Kung Fu Kid.

Admittedly it makes sense since it’s Kung Fu our lead learns and not Karate as in the original. Playing the lead is Will Smith’s son, Jayden, as a kid (would you have guessed it?) who moves to China with his mum, gets bullied at school, and eventually ends up learning Kung Fu from Mr. Han (Jackie Chan, playing the remake’s equivalent of Mr. Miyagi). I’ve said it before - it’s not the absolute worst idea in the world, but couldn’t they have conjured something a bit better?

The Harald Zwart (Pink Panther 2) directed martial arts remake actually started filming this weekend in Beijing (heck, at least they’re shooting the camera’s in the right location…), where the story it will take place in modern day. The shooting schedule of the film is set to last for three months, and to celebrate the start of production, a traditional Chinese ceremony was held on Saturday.

Jayden Smith was there at the ceremony with his father, Will, mother, Jada Pinkett, and sister, Willow. In a video shot of the ceremony put online at Sina.com, Will Smith, Chan, and Zwart, “symbolically removed a piece of red cloth covering a movie camera, after which Smith gave Chan a hug.” If you want to take a look at the ten-minute video of the ceremony, you can head here.
Kung Fu Kid ceremony

'Kung Fu Kid' Beijing ceremony (http://video.sina.com.cn/ent/m/f/2009-07-11/135546896.shtml)

Even if the title change from The Karate Kid to Kung Fu Kid does distance the remake to the ’80s original, I still fear it will soil the reputation of it. I fully realize that if the remake sucks, we’ve still got the original, but as I have said on a number of occasions, today’s audiences might automatically think of this remake whenever “The Karate Kid” gets mentioned. It’s happened numerous times with all the remakes of classic horror movies (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, House of Wax, The Amityville Horror, on and on...), where most likely today’s (young) audiences will not even be aware there was one before these relentless 21st century rehashes.

I suppose that’s what the title change is for, but will the same happen with Kung Fu Kid? I believe it just might…

What do you think of this remake now officially being retitled Kung Fu Kid? Do you think there’s a chance it may turn out to be any good?

As stated, Kung Fu Kid started production last weekend in Beijing, but it doesn’t have a release date set as of yet. The film is directed by Harald Zwart, and written by Steven Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness).

[GeneChing]

I've been thinking...if this film is one tenth as successful as Karate Kid was back in the day, it's going to be great for kung fu schools nationwide, a real boon for our industry. I'm crossing my fingers for that.


Jackie Chan praises kung fu of Will Smith's son (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gv6vArHdsb65kFMX1hAeC25Uum1QD99GK8E00)
By MIN LEE (AP) – 2 days ago

HONG KONG — Jackie Chan says "Kung Fu Kid" co-star Jaden Smith's dedication to martial arts puts his own son to shame.

The 11-year-old son of Hollywood stars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith has been training under Chan's stunt co-ordinator for his role in the China Film Group-Columbia Pictures remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid," which kicked off filming in Beijing on July 11.

In a diary entry on his official Web site, Chan said he was deeply impressed by the younger Smith's progress when he visited Los Angeles last month.

The veteran Hong Kong action star said Jaden Smith learned the Chinese phrases for different kung fu moves, responded to orders in Mandarin, and treated his teacher, Wu Gang, according to traditional Chinese custom.

"When he was thirsty, he gave the traditional hand gesture, putting one fist into the palm of the other, bowed and asked permission to drink some water," Chan said.

Chan said Smith even learned the drunken fighter routine he made famous in his 1978 film "Drunken Master."

"He put my son to shame! I provided my son with the best martial artists in the world, and he could not be persuaded to try it. In just two months, Jaden had learned so much. He is truly a talented boy," he said, adding he felt Smith was ready to perform his own stunts in "Kung Fu Kid."

Chan's son, Jaycee, is a singer and actor but has not followed in his father's footsteps as an action star.

Chan posted several photos with the diary entry showing him with Jaden Smith and his father.

He said he was skeptical at first of Jaden Smith's work ethic because he was born into a privileged family.

"Training in martial arts is hard work. It takes years to perfect even one punch or kick. Jaden's father is a famous celebrity, and Jaden probably knows he could get away without having to work very hard. If I couldn't get my own son to train in martial arts, how could anybody else succeed?" Chan said.

Chan said he suggested to Will Smith that he send his son to China for a few years of kung fu training, predicting "when he returns, his martial arts will be truly incredible."

Jaden Smith costarred with his father in the 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and appeared in the 2008 Keanu Reeves sci-fi movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

[Lucas]

part of me wonders how much of this project involved 'dad i really want to meet jackie chan and learn some kungfu stuff from him.'

;)

[taai gihk yahn]

from the blog:

"What also impressed me about Jaden is that he comes from an affluent and famous family, and you would never guess that when you interact with him. I went to Will and shook his hands, telling him how proud I was that he had raised such a good boy. I know that Jaden is going to be a big movie star some day. He has all the qualities to become successful in whatever he does in the future. I wish I had a son like this. "

that is just so wrong...

[Lucas]

ouch........

[GeneChing]

Click for pics.

Wed, 16 September 2009 at 11:27 am
Jaden Smith is the Kung Fu Kid (http://justjaredjr.buzznet.com/2009/09/16/jaden-smith-is-the-kung-fu-kid/)

Jaden Smith learns some kung fu fighting moves from master Jackie Chan as they continue to film scenes for their upcoming movie, Kung Fu Kid.

The 11-year-old son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith has been training a long time for this role. According to Jackie Chan, via his official website, he shared that Jaden is a master. “He put my son to shame! I provided my son with the best martial artists in the world, and he could not be persuaded to try it. In just two months, Jaden had learned so much. He is truly a talented boy,” he wrote.

Kung Fu Kid, being filmed in Beijing, China and Wudangshan in central China’s Hubei province, is set to hit theaters Summer 2010.

10+ pics inside of Kung Fu Kid Jaden Smith…

If this film does one tenth of what the original did for the martial arts industry, it'll be a welcome (and much needed) boon to our economy. I've got my fingers crossed.

[yutyeesam]

My prediction is that this movie will be mediocre at best. It's most probably going to suck, unfortunately.

But, the release of the movie will be what school owners can take advantage of.

What would really help our industry is another Kung-Fu Panda type thing happening.

[doug maverick]

i think this film is going to be a smash hit...wheather its good or not doesnt matter. this is gonna be a critic proof film. and probably a tent pole movie.

[Jimbo]

IMO it'll probably be a big hit. It seems like anything that Will Smith is involved in (even if he's not actually appearing in the movie itself) is usually gold.

Whether or not it'll be a shot in the arm for KF schools, I don't know if MA movies have the same effect on bringing people into schools like they did back in the '70s and '80s.

[GeneChing]

There's really been three major film bumps for the martial arts industry: Enter the Dragon, Karate Kid and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. However, most of the schools in our area reported modest increases after both Forbidden Kingdom and Kung Fu Panda. Every little bit helps, especially these days.


Everybody was kungfu fighting (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/metro/2009-09/16/content_8696702.htm)
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-16 09:07

Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan (left) demonstrates his skills to 11-year-old Jaden Smith Tuesday on Wudangshan Mountain, Hubei province. [China Daily]

The Metro team has been keeping a close eye on Hollywood superstar Will Smith and his son Jaden after they were recently spotted wandering the hutongs of Beijing.

And as this new picture reveals, the mega-famous family has moved to Wudangshan Mountain in Hubei province to get lessons from a kungfu master.

Here we can see martial arts superstar Jackie Chan teaching Jaden in this first photo from upcoming film Kung Fu Kid.

Yesterday, Chan and young Smith spent hours shooting fight scenes for the film, which is a remake of the 1984 American teen blockbuster The Karate Kid that starred Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita and Elizabeth Shue.

Before shooting began, the 55 year-old Hong Kong action star demonstrated his skills to Jaden and gave the 11 year-old tips on improving his technique.

The pair then armed themselves with bamboo sticks, positioned themselves on a wooden bridge and began to fight, Sina.com reported.

Chan received several blows on the chest and back.

Kung Fu Kid, a co-production between the State-run China Film Group and Columbia Pictures, began shooting last month in Beijing.

The Smith family were first spotted arriving for a meeting with Chan and the film crew at Beijing Film Studio on July 8, but have since kept a low profile.

According to reports, Kung Fu Kid is set in modern day China, and borrows elements from the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.

[GeneChing]

About two dozen reciprocal articles fell out of the People mag piece across the web.

First Look: Will Smith's Son Jaden is the New Karate Kid (http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20323215,00.html)
By Paul Chi
Sunday November 29, 2009 11:00 AM EST

The boy's got chops!

Learning the moves of a true martial arts fighter, Will Smith's youngest son Jaden Smith is proving he has what it takes when he stars opposite Jackie Chan in a remake of the 1984 classic, The Karate Kid, due in theaters June 11.

"I trained every day for four months with Master Wu [the film's fight coordinator]," Jaden, 11, tells PEOPLE as he takes on his first leading role as an American boy named Dre Parker who moves to China. "We did a lot of stretching."

Jaden mastered front kicks and upper blocks through his hard work ethic and dedication, says Chan, 55, who plays maintenance man Mr. Han – an unlikely friend to Jaden's character. "He took the training very seriously. I was very impressed with him," he adds.

While filming in Beijing, including atop the Great Wall of China, Chan was more than a martial arts mentor to his young costar. "Jackie taught me to ask, 'My left or camera left?'" says Jaden on learning the important directions of acting in front of the movie camera. "That helped."

As the two stars built a dynamic relationship on screen, the teacher and student bond translated into real life. "Jaden had a lot of respect for me as his teacher, even off the set," says Chan. "He is professional as many adult actors who have been in the business for years."

And, as Jaden became a true karate kid, he realized that there is more to martial arts than just the kicking and punching – there are lasting lessons of obedience to be instilled. In fact Jaden's parents appreciate the discipline he learned. "His dad told me that Jaden had changed," says Chan. "When he takes his shoes off, he doesn't throw them in the corner, but puts them away neatly!"

[GeneChing]

Web articles cite this blog as the source.

New Karate Kid Pics (http://www.latinoreview.com/news/new-karate-kid-pics-8679)
By Genevieve M. Blaber "ScarletScribe" on November 30, 2009

New Karate Kid Pics The first pictures from The Karate Kid movie, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, are out and... well, they're not bad at all.

Now, I'm a tried-and-true fan of the original Karate Kid series, and I really want to hate this movie for treading on my nostalgia, but look at these pics! They have all of my favorite things: the Great Wall of China, Jackie Chan, a stick... and look at the second picture below. Aw, it's young love! My cynical heart just grew three times. I'm sorry but this movie is kind of growing on me, and perhaps it will differ enough from the original film that we can eventually like/endure/tolerate it on its own terms.

Also, you have to give the young Smith some kudos for that high-kick he's showing off in the third image. Apparently, he underwent four months of training with the film's fight coordinator and learning karate even taught him some discipline.

"His dad told me that Jaden had changed," explained Chan to People Magazine. "When he takes his shoes off, he doesn't throw them in the corner, but puts them away neatly!"

Hey, if a movie can stop Jaden Smith from ****ing off the Fresh Prince then it can't be all bad, right?
http://www.latinoreview.com/images/stories/karate_1.jpg
http://www.latinoreview.com/images/stories/karate_2.jpg
http://www.latinoreview.com/images/stories/karate_3.jpg
http://www.latinoreview.com/images/stories/karate_4.jpg

[Lee Chiang Po]

Chan's mustache is sort of scary, but otherwise, I think it has to be an improvement over the original. Has to be.
I have seen a lot of movies that I hated. Most come after my reading the book. No movie ever matches the facts of the book. Like Will Smith in I am Legend. It sucked after actually having read the book. Today it is common that the good as well as the bad guys get turned into supermen or all powerful creatures. Doing things that we all know would be absolutely impossible for a mortal man to do.
Does anyone remember the original Magnificant Seven? The Jap movie made in black and white? Well, the entire story line got changed and was nothing like the original. Believability makes a good movie. If Chan is playing a role in this remake, he will most likely be doing the directing, and if so it will more than likely be a good movie even if the story line is changed. I would like to see it.

LCP

[sanjuro_ronin]

...The Jap movie made in...

Well, at least you didn't say "nip".:rolleyes:

[Iron_Eagle_76]

This just in:

The cast for the Cobra Khai has been selected from our very own Kung Fu Magazine. The following roles have been selected:

John Kreese- Played by Sanjuro Ronin. "Sweep the leg" quote will be intact.:cool:

Johnny Lawrence- Played by Masterkiller. Since he has experience in pretending to beat up asian guys.:eek:

Bobby- Played by Hardwork 108. Since he is constanly either building up his Kung Fu ("But sensei I can beat this guy", or apologizing ("I'm sorry Daniel, I'm sorry) he will be perfect for the role.

Dutch- Played by Bawang. Simply because Dutch was the crazy ass and I feel Bawang would fit the profile best.:D

Tommy-Played by Dragonzbane76. Simply because only an MMA'er would yell something like "Get him a body bag":p

Special guest cameos will include David Ross as the referee (taking the place of Pat Johnson) and Gene Ching as the tournament announcer ("Daniel LaRusso is going to fight?!....Daniel Larusso ladies and gentlemen")

All the actors' salaries will go to benefit the Glorified Pagan Kickboxing Fund.:D

[sanjuro_ronin]

this just in:

The cast for the cobra khai has been selected from our very own kung fu magazine. The following roles have been selected:

John kreese- played by sanjuro ronin. "sweep the leg" quote will be intact.:cool:

Johnny lawrence- played by masterkiller. Since he has experience in pretending to beat up asian guys.:eek:

Bobby- played by hardwork 108. Since he is constanly either building up his kung fu ("but sensei i can beat this guy", or apologizing ("i'm sorry daniel, i'm sorry) he will be perfect for the role.

Dutch- played by bawang. Simply because dutch was the crazy ass and i feel bawang would fit the profile best.:d

tommy-played by dragonzbane76. Simply because only an mma'er would yell something like "get him a body bag":p

special guest cameos will include david ross as the referee (taking the place of pat johnson) and gene ching as the tournament announcer ("daniel larusso is going to fight?!....daniel larusso ladies and gentlemen")

all the actors' salaries will go to benefit the glorified pagan kickboxing fund.:d

mazeltov !!!

[doug maverick]

ralph machio could never throw a kick like that. good job kid.

[Jimbo]

Does anyone remember the original Magnificant Seven? The Jap movie made in black and white?

LCP

The JapANESE movie was actually Seven Samurai.

As far as The Kung Fu Kid, I kinda doubt Jackie will be doing much directing, other than, maybe, the fight sequences. He doesn't seem to have the pull on the set in his U.S. films that he has (had?) in his own HK movies when he was at his peak.

[GeneChing]

Maybe they're not calling it Kung Fu Kid after all. Good thing I didn't change the title of this thread yet.


THE KARATE KID
June 11, 2010
COLUMBIA PICTURES

[@PLUGO]

Trailer available here. (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/The-Karate-Kid-Remake-Trailer-16279.htmlembed_code_lightbox/index/39/single/108329/ci015/10/410/306/1/false/source/http:www.cinemablend.comnewThe-Karate-Kid-Remake-Trailer-16279.html)

[Pk_StyLeZ]

might not be shaolin related..but it is wushu related thats for sure
anyone know which schools is involved in this movvie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy3TwgpOfr0

i posted here since i post in this forum usually..and shaolin is really related to a lot of wushu schools

[IronFist]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-karate-kid.html#videocontainer

Sorry if this is a repost. I didn't see it. All I saw were a bunch of "Incorporating [thing] into your martial arts training" threads. wtf is that all about?

[TenTigers]

ok, that looked good. I really didn't have high hopes for this, but of course, if Jacky Chan is playing the Miyagi character-that adds to the fun, and the kid actually looks like he may be able to pull it off. Machio blew horses in the original.
I'm actually looking foward to this.
Yes. Horses.

[Scott R. Brown]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-karate-kid.html#videocontainer

Sorry if this is a repost. I didn't see it. All I saw were a bunch of "Incorporating [thing] into your martial arts training" threads. wtf is that all about?

They are jokes!!! Get with it!!!:eek::D:)

[Yum Cha]

Gee, I didn't know Karate was so popular in China...

[Hardwork108]

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-talk-karate-kid.html#videocontainer

Sorry if this is a repost. I didn't see it. All I saw were a bunch of "Incorporating [thing] into your martial arts training" threads. wtf is that all about?

Thanks for posting. This movie shows a lot of promise even though from the trailer I would guess a better choice of name would be "The Kung Fu" kid.

[Yum Cha]

...I would guess a better choice of name would be "The Kung Fu" kid.

do ya reckon?

It all looks good enough, but something about the original 'cheeze' factor made the movie what it was.

[yutyeesam]

Man. Can we put some southern style back into the movies again please?

-123

[Hardwork108]

do ya reckon?
I guess any clever name that implies TCMAs rather than TJMAs. Otherwise we may end up with a MA world that is even more confused than it is now regarding the traditional arts.

I mean I already have my hands full here with kung fu clueless cross trainers. The last thing I need is for one of these guys to say, "Chinese Karate is better and more functional than Chinese Kung fu....LOL:D


It all looks good enough, but something about the original 'cheeze' factor made the movie what it was.

I agree. I just hope that this updated version will have something special of its own and succeeds on its own merits.:)

HW108

[dimethylsea]

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/b/c/4/bc433736dfb4744a3d5bdcfaf00f0f52.gif

That is all.

[Hardwork108]

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/b/c/4/bc433736dfb4744a3d5bdcfaf00f0f52.gif

That is all.

I just have one thing to say :eek:

[uki]

LOL... as if there isn't enough confusion in the martial arts world already... the movie looks good, but the title is waaay off base... red china propaganda: the wushu kid seems more appropriate. :)

[Lokhopkuen]

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/b/c/4/bc433736dfb4744a3d5bdcfaf00f0f52.gif

That is all.

You sir are my hero LMFAO!!!

[taai gihk yahn]

what? no "fit him for a body bag"? no "sweep the leg"? I dunno...

[Fa Xing]

LOL... as if there isn't enough confusion in the martial arts world already... the movie looks good, but the title is waaay off base... red china propaganda: the wushu kid seems more appropriate. :)

Strangely enough I agree with you...but don't get used to it :p

[SPJ]

swap the fly and then pick it up with the chop sticks

actually, we used to use the rubberband to shoot and stun the flies and then pick them up with chop sticks

kool.

mind you it IS KID's movie.

:)

[dimethylsea]

You sir are my hero LMFAO!!!

If do right.. NO CAN DEFEND! :D

[TenTigers]

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/b/c/4/bc433736dfb4744a3d5bdcfaf00f0f52.gif

[SPJ]

I would vote for san shou kid

wax on wax off

--

[Scott R. Brown]

wax on wax off

I think they call that a Brazilian wax!!!

Pictures Sanjuro??????:D

[kfson]

Wow, Chan looks like an old man!

[Lucas]

they should call it the kungfu kid thats retarded

[iron_silk]

Maybe they're not calling it Kung Fu Kid after all. Good thing I didn't change the title of this thread yet.

But that doesn't make any sense.

Why the "F" are they doing karate in China....and if he studied with Wu and Chan what is he calling kung fu - karate

INSULT I say

[iron_silk]

ralph machio could never throw a kick like that. good job kid.

I can honestly say the appeal of the original was definitely not based on the action choreagraphy.

[mawali]

I think it is going to be a great film but the kids and parents seeing it must be discerning about the elements of said film.

a, Is there a moral in the story line?
b. The venue and location is great so the scenery sells. People get a chance to see MODERN CHINA.
c. Even though the elements are not karate, any discerning parent would know or ask about the martial elements of the fil,. It is wushu. More interest and more parents of the discerning kind may say Let me enroll my chirren at a local Shaolin temple
d. Let's face it! Jackie Chan is big! Anything Will Smith is worth a look so that is, at least, a small blockbuster.

Decent kids movies sell and if it is really great then there will be more of same.
Though I hated the original Karate Kid, I am glad kids and teenagers and all had a good time because alot of dojos saw an increase in enrollement after the few that premiered.

ganbai!

[Shaolinlueb]

i think calling it karate kid is offensive. i mean everything about it is Chinese martial arts. but what do average Americans know about kung fu? nothing. they think its all karate. you know how many parents call my class karate to their kids. to me calling this karate kid when its all wushu is like calling a Muslim person a Jew in the middle east

[Zenshiite]

I'd like to think "karate kid" is tongue-in-cheek with this one and that Jackie will be constantly berating the kid for calling his kung fu "karate." I want it to be a joke, a joke that comes with a built in audience.

[doug maverick]

it probably is going to be changed...anytime you see a trailer before a poster chances are they are working on the name. they obviously cant call it the karate kid..without making themselves seem like idiots...

[GeneChing]

I'm already a fan of the Facebook's Jackie Chan's "The Karate Kid" Movie should be called "The Kung Fu Kid" page. It's got like 63 members as of today. :rolleyes:

[yutyeesam]

I just heard about a new perspective on the whole Karate Kid title. Apparently, Jaden's character knew some karate before coming to China. The other Chinese kids who would bully him and kick his ass around (using kung-fu) nick named him "Karate Kid" as an insult.

To me, that justifies it. It's a term of ridicule.

So there you have it.

[BoulderDawg]

I just saw the trailer for this. On first glance I wasn't that impressed.

I'm sure there is an explanation but I thought it a bit odd for a single mother and her son to move to China.

Also I didn't see anything here that hasn't been done a hundred times in Hollywood. Kid moves to new neighborhood and gets picked on by the locals...old and tired.

Finally I had trouble with the casting. The kid is a little shrimp. He looks like he weighs all of about 80 pounds. When I first saw him I thought it was a girl.

I didn't really see anything wrong with the Jackie Chan role.

[GeneChing]

There's a short interview vid - follow the link.

Jackie Chan Unsure of 'Karate Kid' Remake Title, Reveals Fate Of 'Wax On, Wax Off,' The Crane Kick (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/01/07/jackie-chan-unsure-of-karate-kid-remake-title-reveals-fate-of-wax-on-wax-off-the-crane-kick/)
Posted 19 hrs ago by Larry Carroll in News

Ever since the project was announced, movie fans have been clamoring for information about Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s remake of an Eighties classic. Now, we’ve seen the first trailer and only five months remain until release, but even the film’s new Mr. Miyagi isn’t quite sure what to call it.

“We just finished the movie, ‘Karate Kid,’” Jackie Chan told me Wednesday at the People’s Choice Awards. “Um, the ‘Kung Fu Kid.’”

Say what? Over the course of the film’s shooting, rumors had leaked that since the film is set in China, the title would reference Kung Fu (a Chinese discipline) instead of karate (a Japanese form of martial arts). But the recent first trailer for the movie ended with a title card that read “The Karate Kid.” Which seems odd, since technically Jaden Smith won't be doing any karate in the movie.

“I don’t know [what it’s going to be called],” Chan admitted of the film, which is due to hit theaters in June. “Probably ‘Kung Fu Kid’ in China and ‘Karate Kid’ in America. Maybe a different title? I don’t know. But mostly we’ve called it ‘The Kung Fu Kid.’”

To some, the difference may seem minor. But to those who treat 1984's “Karate Kid” as a classic –- including star Ralph Macchio himself -– a name like “Kung Fu Kid” might signal a welcomed desire by the film to stand on its own merits.

“It’s a totally different story; a totally different story,” Chan insisted, arguing that the movie is not a strict remake. “I was in China, Jaden [Smith] was all the way from America. [The family moves] to China, then they see me, then it’s [about] how I teach him martial arts.”

Of course, one of the many reasons why the movie is interesting is because it’s produced by Hollywood super-couple Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and it stars their 11-year-old son Jaden (“The Pursuit of Happyness”) in the Macchio role. But according to Chan, he felt no pressure stepping into the mentor role that earned late actor Pat Morita an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Mr. Miyagi.

“No [I felt no pressure], not at all,” Chan insisted. “Really, we put a tribute [to Pat Morita] in the movie; I just do whatever I can.”

As for the key hallmarks of the original movie, Chan revealed two to us. “It’s different. We do have ‘wax on/wax off,’ but in a funny way. We’re not teaching him these kind of things,” he insisted.

And, when we asked him about the presence of Macchio’s signature crane kick move, Chan said that whatever the movie is called, the final battle scene will not involve it. “No, we don’t have those [scenes]. We show you… I don’t want to give it away. See you in June!”

[No_Know]

Went to a talkie. Saw "Karate Kid The Movie" pieces. I had a Kung-Fu orgasm. Take the jacket off. Put it on. Take it off Put it on...(without words, here, Like this--protect yourself or, see, you get hit...)

There seem to be critics of character development and Hhigh-brow Critique stuff. O.K. The title...I am at the training sequences.

Kids being protective against the new guy, We all know how and you can't beat us...There's sceens ofd China modern and culture bits. It's colorful. And oh yeah, the training sequences. I saw one splice of training sequence and it was familiar to how I think of things. Learning or teaching with them at first not knowing they were being taught.

The title is on the screen briefly. the interaction. I liked the traing of the youngster. I liked the swift deft moves of Mr. Jackie Chan. I liked that there were a lot of attitudes that could stand to be adjusted or people to be educated. It seemed energetic.

I findit to be representative of learn what you are taught with at least some great training sceens and Fiercly awesome Jackie Chan in Action and acting.
Blah Blah Blah


No_Know

[@PLUGO]

According to jadensmith.org (http://jadensmith.org/?p=25) MTV.com recently asked Jackie Chan if the title of the upcoming movie starring him and Jaden Smith was going to be “the Karate Kid” or “the Kung-Fu Kid” here is his answer:

“We just finished the movie, ‘Karate Kid,’” Jackie Chan told me Wednesday at the People’s Choice Awards. “Um, the ‘Kung Fu Kid.’”

“I don’t know [what it’s going to be called],” Chan admitted of the film, which is due to hit theaters in June. “Probably ‘Kung Fu Kid’ in China and ‘Karate Kid’ in America. Maybe a different title? I don’t know. But mostly we’ve called it ‘The Kung Fu Kid.’”

“It’s a totally different story; a totally different story,” Chan insisted, arguing that the movie is not a strict remake. “I was in China, Jaden [Smith] was all the way from America. [The family moves] to China, then they see me, then it’s [about] how I teach him martial arts.”

[GeneChing]

http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/karate-kid-or-kung-fu-kid-header.jpg Screen Rant and WorstPreviews had blogs on this.

This is amusing (but they certainly could have found a better pick of Elisabeth Shue): Where Are They Now?: The Karate Kid (PHOTOS) (http://www.celebuzz.com/where-they-now-karate-kid-s169701/)
by Tim Kenneally on Jan. 27, 2010 09:00 AM

BoxOfficeMojo.com has a good overview of the numbers, like always.

2010 Preview: The Karate Kid (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2656&p=.htm)
by Brandon Gray
Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan in The Karate Kid remake.
January 26, 2010

Release Date: June 11
Studio: Sony
Genre: Action Drama
Director: Harald Zwart
Writer: Michael Soccio
Cast: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson
Studio Description: 12-year-old Dre Parker (Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (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, 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 (Chan), 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.
Watch the Trailer

Analysis: Produced by Will Smith and featuring his son, Jaden, in the title role and Jackie Chan as the martial arts mentor, The Karate Kid remake crane-kicks into action on June 11, the same weekend as fellow 1980s retread The A-Team. It appears to be less faithful to its source material than A-Team is. Key changes include a younger Kid than Ralph Macchio was in the 1984 smash, a new location that he moves to (China instead of Los Angeles; a big change because both the Kid and his mentor were cultural outsiders in the original, now it's just the Kid), a glossier veneer and a different martial art: kung fu instead of the titular karate (the picture has sometimes been called The Kung Fu Kid by its producers).

The original Karate Kid debuted in June 1984 to $5 million at 931 sites (or the equivalent of over $11 million adjusted for ticket price inflation) and ended its run at $90.8 million (or around $200 million adjusted). The Karate Kid Part II, in which the Kid goes to karate's native land Japan, made even more in 1986, but the franchise stalled with The Karate Kid Part III in 1989 and a 1994 revival called The Next Karate Kid, featuring the original's Pat Morita and Hilary Swank as his new student, failed, grossing $8.9 million in its entire run.

Though the franchise faded, martial arts remained a movie mainstay, though mostly in action movies as opposed to sports/coming-of-age dramas like Karate Kid. Recently, Never Back Down, a movie that was practically a remake of Karate Kid, delivered modest numbers, starting at $8.6 million and ending up with $24.9 million. That movie targeted teens and young adults, but the new Karate Kid is aiming for more of a family audience. Jackie Chan's reputation and popularity suggest that he's a good fit, and he recently mined similar material in the fantasy The Forbidden Kingdom, which opened to $21.4 million and closed with $52.1 million.

Ultimately, The Karate Kid remake is hoping that its universal underdog, fish-out-of-water and culture clash themes that help made the original such a success will translate into further box office glory.

[No_Know]

I like the title as "Karate Kid-the Movie." If you only follw hype and trailers yes you might want it as ...Kung-Fu Kid~...IIf the story is he relocated with his mother because of her job or new job, then tried to fightback and got trounced. Yes it is a same line of story but told nicely with differences to make it nice in its own right.

If you think you are not being hyppocritical, look at the movie the Karate Kid..It should perhaps have been called the karate kids because they were youths and All the movie had Karate as the thing. It was only Karate Kid due to misguided understandings or that in this new world/local/environ...he pulls out his weekend warrior martialarts to face dedicated practicing hot headed upastarts with years into weeky lengthy training. It was all he had but it was laughable which made the movie as this China Centered the name is making fun of his skill. It stands

No_Know

[Lucas]

i just watched the karate kid yesterday for a refresher. its a good film. calling this new one The Karate Kid Remake sits well with me, but just The Karate Kid is misleading. Its better to just call it what it is, imo, its not karate. if it was thai boxing id say "call it The Thai Boxing Kid" but its kungfu sooooo.....

1+1 = karate?

it sounds more like a tribute to karate kid than a remake, since its an all new story.

[iron_silk]

I'm not sure if this video review of the remake trailer has been posted or not but I think it's quite funny and hits it right own the nose with what's wrong with the movie (well...the from what we can tell from the trailer that is)

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/dw/tf/15202-ep012 :D

[Blacktiger]

I cant believe they were actually allowed to serve this tripe up for consuption.

Ahhh what a way...cobra kai rules

Kreese: What do we study here?
Karate Class: THE WAY OF THE FIST SIR.
Kreese: And what is that way?
Karate Class: STRIKE FIRST. STRIKE HARD. NO MERCY SIR.
Kreese: I can't hear you.
Karate Class: STRIKE FIRST. STRIKE HARD. NO MERCY SIR

:D

[No_Know]

I'm not sure if this video review of the remake trailer has been posted or not but I think it's quite funny and hits it right own the nose with what's wrong with the movie (well...the from what we can tell from the trailer that is)

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videolinks/teamt/dw/tf/15202-ep012 :D

Two points in this review--Right, like things are so bad in America that someone would move to China blah blab blah about the government. That's fine untlil a near second depression hits within a few years and companies as a standard outsource to other countries--China, India...And that a corporation might have a division inChina a greater than four thousand year old society using business most of that time. Also a society now building the biggest skyscrapperthe world has seen so-far...

A second mention was bad talking Jackie Chan's career in dealing with children. He partook in an animated series as a personality and a question and Answer at the end of each episode. Marketing to children forms a base that appeals to generations of children and then to adolescents then young adults...Smart and good.

No_Know...Karate was originally China Hands. Use the original writing for Karate in ads...- No_Know

[GeneChing]

Check out the official site (http://www.karatekid-themovie.com/).

Looks like they shot in Wudang. Nice.

[MasterKiller]

Should have called it "The WuTang Kid."

[Hardwork108]

Right now I am actually looking very much forward to seeing this movie. :)

[doug maverick]

Right now I am actually looking very much forward to seeing this movie. :)

i thought i was the only person looking forward to seeing this movie...well me and gene.

[GeneChing]

Truth be told, I have high very hopes for this. I thought Jaden was great in Happyness. And I'm still a great fan of Jackie. And I remember when the original Karate Kid hit. It was a tremendous boon for the martial arts industry. We could sure use that now.

It's also major release that's shot in China. That's fabulous.

[Hardwork108]

Truth be told, I have high very hopes for this. I thought Jaden was great in Happyness. And I'm still a great fan of Jackie. And I remember when the original Karate Kid hit. It was a tremendous boon for the martial arts industry. We could sure use that now.

It's also major release that's shot in China. That's fabulous.

The fact that Jackie Chan has actual kung fu knowledge and that the movie was filmed in China, will give film a genuine essence that the original Karate Kid movies never had, IMHO.

[doug maverick]

Truth be told, I have high very hopes for this. I thought Jaden was great in Happyness. And I'm still a great fan of Jackie. And I remember when the original Karate Kid hit. It was a tremendous boon for the martial arts industry. We could sure use that now.

It's also major release that's shot in China. That's fabulous.

this true gene...this is true.. i especially like how they went the wu dong route instead of going shaolin.

[Zenshiite]

I'm interested, for sure. I'll take my son, I'm sure he'll dig it.

[Jimbo]

I saw a trailer for it, and it looks good. I may actually end up liking Jaden Smith's character for once in a movie. And it may become the best U.S. release for Jackie in years.

About a year ago, I watched the original Karate Kid again, and it hasn't really held up too well. Pat Morita was still cool, but everything else about it seemed so dated it was silly.

[GeneChing]

And I totally agree with you, Jimbo. It's drenched in the '80s. The fashion, the cinematography, the whole feel of the film was horribly dated. When that Cruel Summer song came on in the soundtrack, I just had to laugh. What that film really needed was the Eye of the Tiger song somewhere. :p

I remember having some real issues with the choreography and the tournament finale. The whole tournament was so fake and that really bothered me at the time.

Morita definitely nailed Miyagi. And Macchio was Russo - it's the only character he has ever been. The villains were over the top, but I never believed Johnny's apology after sweeping the leg. Nor could I believe that the smoking hot Elizabeth Shue could fall for Daniel.

But still, that crane pose - freaking classic.

Ever see Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank?

[iron_silk]

The original Karate Kid is still awesome.

The cheesy 80's music and whatnot is part of the charm. It totally brings me back to the good old days.

And I never liked the Karate Kid for the choreography...no matter how many time I practiced the crane kick I knew the fight scenes were bad. (Since I grew up watching Chinese Kung Fu movies and TV series).

you want bad choreography and I mean sick in your stomach bad....go watch Karate Kid 3 (final fight) - I am limiting my choices to the 3 movies of course.

One thing I was really dissappointed with is that Daniel never seem to improve with his karate. Like he can't seem to handle a fight on his own without be trained (again I don't count Karate Kid 3 as handling himself...unless you're refering to a chubby kicking bag).

Like in the 2nd movie he was in the club and delivered a "cheap shot" to a guy's groin, 3rd movie he takes care of hench man but gets his ass handed to him by "bad boy" ....I am rambling....nevermind

[bodhi warrior]

Just watched the new trailer. I really think this movie might be good. I will definetly go see it!

[Jimbo]

Every see Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank?[/QUOTE]

I saw The Next Karate Kid, but it's been so long ago I have only a few impressions of it. Wasn't it about Miyagi going to Massachusetts or somewhere, and taking a troubled girl (Hillary Swank) to a Japanese Buddhist temple? I remember something about a rock or sand garden(?). By then, the concept was really played out, though Swank wasn't bad at all. I thought she was definitely more convincing at the karate than Ralph Macchio. She was more athletically inclined.

[iron_silk]

Every see Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank?

I saw The Next Karate Kid, but it's been so long ago I have only a few impressions of it. Wasn't it about Miyagi going to Massachusetts or somewhere, and taking a troubled girl (Hillary Swank) to a Japanese Buddhist temple? I remember something about a rock or sand garden(?). By then, the concept was really played out, though Swank wasn't bad at all. I thought she was definitely more convincing at the karate than Ralph Macchio. She was more athletically inclined.[/QUOTE]

More athletic? YES!

More convincing at karate? Heck to NO!

I've said this before and I'll say it again...

What's great about the Karate Kid was never the action.

[GeneChing]

But Hilary Swank was great, just like Elizabeth Shue. That makes Karate Kid the only martial arts film franchise that has had two Oscar-nominated leading ladies.

Don't get me wrong, iron_silk. I still respect the impact that film had on martial arts in American culture. But it feels painfully dated to watch it now.

As for Jaden in Wudang, I've stood on that incense platform they show in the trailer - the one with the snake. I'll be very curious how much of Wudang they showcase. It certainly ups the ante for this film.

[Zenshiite]

And I totally agree with you, Jimbo. It's drenched in the '80s. The fashion, the cinematography, the whole feel of the film was horribly dated. When that Cruel Summer song came on in the soundtrack, I just had to laugh. What that film really needed was the Eye of the Tiger song somewhere. :p

I remember having some real issues with the choreography and the tournament finale. The whole tournament was so fake and that really bothered me at the time.

Morita definitely nailed Miyagi. And Macchio was Russo - it's the only character he has ever been. The villains were over the top, but I never believed Johnny's apology after sweeping the leg. Nor could I believe that the smoking hot Elizabeth Shue could fall for Daniel.

But still, that crane pose - freaking classic.

Every see Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank?

Wait? You don't think Macchio WAS Johnny Cade?

[GeneChing]

I saw him in Crossroads, which was a film I liked but not because of Macchio. I felt he just reprized Danielsan for that.

[Zenshiite]

The Outsiders is an awesome movie. One year before Daniel-san. Maybe Daniel-san was just Macchio reprising Johnny?

[Jimbo]

I saw The Next Karate Kid, but it's been so long ago I have only a few impressions of it. Wasn't it about Miyagi going to Massachusetts or somewhere, and taking a troubled girl (Hillary Swank) to a Japanese Buddhist temple? I remember something about a rock or sand garden(?). By then, the concept was really played out, though Swank wasn't bad at all. I thought she was definitely more convincing at the karate than Ralph Macchio. She was more athletically inclined.

More athletic? YES!

More convincing at karate? Heck to NO!

I've said this before and I'll say it again...

What's great about the Karate Kid was never the action.[/QUOTE]

iron silk:
And I agree that the strength of The Karate Kid was not in its fight scenes and clearly was never meant to be. But if a movie is called "Karate" Kid, then the actual performance of martial art should hold some level of importance.

I also feel there should not have been any sequels to the original. LaRusso/Macchio's skill maybe was acceptable for that one, but as it went into parts 2 and 3, his karate never improved (as you mentioned in an above post). And forgetting about the karate itself, his personality never seemed to grow. If anything, his personality and confidence seemingly regressed to zero by part 3. And the whole point of KK was the development of the whole person. I didn't like 2 at all, but 3 was a really big waste.

[Jimbo]

BTW, kinda weird that the top quote in my above post is attributed to iron silk, when I originally posted it(?). :)

[David Jamieson]

I saw him in Crossroads, which was a film I liked but not because of Macchio. I felt he just reprized Danielsan for that.

Steve Vai was the value add for that flick.

The Ry Cooder soundtrack didn't hurt it either. But yeah, Danielsan wasn't a convincing blues guitar prodigy in it.

[GeneChing]

It wasn't up on the official site (http://www.karatekid-themovie.com/) yet. Follow the link below.


New International Trailer for The Karate Kid (http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=63681)
Source:Sony Pictures
February 26, 2010

Sony Pictures has revealed a new international trailer for The Karate Kid that you can watch using the player below. Opening in theaters on June 11, the Harald Zwart-directed film stars Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and Taraji P. Henson.

In the film, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (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, 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 (Chan), 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.

Note that the title Karate Kid is used derogatorily, just like yutyeesam predicted (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=980167&postcount=147).

[iron_silk]

Don't get me wrong, iron_silk. I still respect the impact that film had on martial arts in American culture. But it feels painfully dated to watch it now.

As for Jaden in Wudang, I've stood on that incense platform they show in the trailer - the one with the snake. I'll be very curious how much of Wudang they showcase. It certainly ups the ante for this film.

I'll be honest.

I didn't really care about the impact it had on martial arts in American culture. For one I'm from Canadian and two I just enjoyed it as a movie. PLUS there is a big nostalgic feel of the 80's since I grew up loving the 80's music and it brings me back to a more innocent time. I guess that's it.

ALSO Wu dang has definitely got some impressive stuff...I guess we'll see.

[doug maverick]

its funny because even in the trailer jackie says he is teaching him kung fu...

[iron_silk]

iron silk:
And I agree that the strength of The Karate Kid was not in its fight scenes and clearly was never meant to be. But if a movie is called "Karate" Kid, then the actual performance of martial art should hold some level of importance.

I also feel there should not have been any sequels to the original. LaRusso/Macchio's skill maybe was acceptable for that one, but as it went into parts 2 and 3, his karate never improved (as you mentioned in an above post). And forgetting about the karate itself, his personality never seemed to grow. If anything, his personality and confidence seemingly regressed to zero by part 3. And the whole point of KK was the development of the whole person. I didn't like 2 at all, but 3 was a really big waste.

It's wonderful to have to someone agree with most of my points.

I guess that's why it's going to be difficult to say this. I actually liked Karate Kid 2.

Karate Kid 3 was completely garbage and fell into the "it's so bad it's funny category"

BUT Karate Kid 2 (despite the flaws that I have mentioned already) I felt it was still very good. We already learned about Daniel-san's life it's time to learn more about Miyagi (and although I felt his back story was a little "created" for the sequel) it was still very good. It allowed Daniel-san to care for someone more then himself and to fight for life (not just for a trophy) this time.

PLUS Tamlyn Tomita is HOT! (that's right...still)

ARTICLE: http://espn.go.com/page2/movies/s/simmons/020830.html

I'm not sure if I have posted this before or if others have posted it already or not.

But his is a hilarious review of the Karate Kid Trilogy (that's right...I count only three movies). He wasn't crazy about Karate Kid 2 either.

I urge you all to read it. Whether you like the movies or not.

[iron_silk]

BTW, kinda weird that the top quote in my above post is attributed to iron silk, when I originally posted it(?). :)

that was very weird...now it seems like I disagree with myself...

am I that lonely?

[Jimbo]

It's wonderful to have to someone agree with most of my points.

I guess that's why it's going to be difficult to say this. I actually liked Karate Kid 2.

Karate Kid 3 was completely garbage and fell into the "it's so bad it's funny category"

BUT Karate Kid 2 (despite the flaws that I have mentioned already) I felt it was still very good. We already learned about Daniel-san's life it's time to learn more about Miyagi (and although I felt his back story was a little "created" for the sequel) it was still very good. It allowed Daniel-san to care for someone more then himself and to fight for life (not just for a trophy) this time.

PLUS Tamlyn Tomita is HOT! (that's right...still)

ARTICLE: http://espn.go.com/page2/movies/s/simmons/020830.html

I'm not sure if I have posted this before or if others have posted it already or not.

But his is a hilarious review of the Karate Kid Trilogy (that's right...I count only three movies). He wasn't crazy about Karate Kid 2 either.

I urge you all to read it. Whether you like the movies or not.

Glad we do agree on a lot of points! Karate Kid 2 came out in 1986 when I was living in Taiwan, and though I thought the film itself was fairly well-made, it just didn't do it for me. We have 100% agreement on Tamlyn Tomita, though. I have a thing for hotties who not only look great young, but who also age gracefully!

I remember seeing the original U.S. trailer shown on a TV screen in front of the theater in the Hsimenting district in Taipei, and the voice-over was describing Danny LaRusso while an obvious double (sans showing his head) was doing a kata in a darkened room, filmed in slow-mo, saying "Danny is back. Now he's older.....stronger....." When I saw it, I felt like I'd been lied to. Though I do remember during the movie, thinking that the way Okinawa was portrayed, if I were Miyagi, I'd have left my handyman job in L.A. and moved back. The way in which Danny's big epiphany came from a little drum toy could have been done intelligently, but it wasn't, IMO.

Karate Kid 3 was so bad it was awful. I will admit that the guy with the ponytail who played the villain had the best karate in the whole series (except for Fumio Demura's stunt-doubling Miyagi) and he was pretty comical. But he was a better villain in John Carpenter's Vampires. KK3 ended very oddly. The filmmakers obviously had long since run out of ideas and were probably thinking, "Hurry up! End it....now! Done! Whew!"

In the new film, I'm expecting Jaden to look pretty good doing the kung fu. More importantly, it'll be really cool to see the real Wudang actually shown in an American film. I haven't even seen it shown in very many Chinese movies.

[iron_silk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX4YXiDu0FE&feature=player_embedded#

Please tell me that at 0:16 the English dubbing of the Chinese kid was only for the trailer...because it was horrible...

I mean the idea of dubbing all the Chinese speakers in the movie is in my opinion a good of making this remake sink even LOWER! No respect. It's along the same line as calling it the Karate Kid but he's learning kung fu BUT only must worse.

[doug maverick]

dubbing could work if its done well. mr han was dubbed in enter the dragon, as for calling it the karate kid im sure that is going to be explained in the story...

[iron_silk]

dubbing could work if its done well. mr han was dubbed in enter the dragon, as for calling it the karate kid im sure that is going to be explained in the story...

I'm pretty sure Mr. Han in Enter the Dragon was suppose to be able to speak English.

My point being was that I am not against dubbing (good dubbing anyway) but against the need to make Chinese speaking into English for the sake of the audience.

Since the whole point of going to China and being a stranger in a strange land should include the language barrier. In fact during the second trailer involves him trying to speak Chinese to a banana on the plane from Detroit.

Unless Dre went to an English school in China and all subsequent bullies also speaks English.

[Lucas]

when did people stop reading sub titles?

[iron_silk]

when did people stop reading sub titles?

I think the question should when did they start?

I think movie studios have heard a lot of complaints that when North American audiences read subtitles they miss watching the movie.

As in it's too difficult for them to read and watch at the same time.

That's why when they import movies over (e.g. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) they release the dub version in the theatre.

Of course this doesn't apply to everyone...

[doug maverick]

well subtitles are usually for the art house crowd...there is a rule of dumb in film and thats keep it simple, stupid. and adding subtitles makes it hard for people to follow the story. so if i was a studio head looking for a tentpole i wouldnt use subtitles...however i dont believe there is going to be much dubbing in the movie. the dubbing could have just been for the international trailer. but we'll see...to be honest its not that important to me. i liked the trailer and think this is going to be a good movie. first american film to turn away from the whole shaolin thing and actually show what appears to be wu dong, so im siked for that reason alone.

[iron_silk]

Subtitles are for foreign language films. That's it.

Art house flick can be for a variety of things not isolated to "artsy ****sy" who wants the original language.

What the studio believe that people are too stupid to read subtitles and desire to keep it "simple" is purely business.

I don't hate dubbing...I know of at least one case where I enjoyed a dubbed version of a movie over the original for reasons that it worked better for the movie.

I am just very much against dubbing that really ruins a perfectly enjoyable movie.

I've seen the trailer...not sure it's going to be a good movie though...at all.

BUT one thing we do agree on is that I'm sure the dubbing was for the trailer only.

We'll see...

[Scott R. Brown]

when did people stop reading sub titles?

Around the same time they stopped reading!:(

[Tao Of The Fist]

Subtitles are for foreign language films. That's it.

Art house flick can be for a variety of things not isolated to "artsy ****sy" who wants the original language.

What the studio believe that people are too stupid to read subtitles and desire to keep it "simple" is purely business.

I don't hate dubbing...I know of at least one case where I enjoyed a dubbed version of a movie over the original for reasons that it worked better for the movie.

I am just very much against dubbing that really ruins a perfectly enjoyable movie.

I've seen the trailer...not sure it's going to be a good movie though...at all.

BUT one thing we do agree on is that I'm sure the dubbing was for the trailer only.

We'll see...

Would you consider captions the same thing as a subtitle? If yes then that's only thing I have to argue with. I need captions many times, partially because I find it hard to concentrate on what people are saying in a film, and partially because I can't hear it. I have very little trouble reading and watching simultaneously, but that's just me.

One more thing; the film industry (mostly Hollywood) is so full of stereotypes, hypocracy, generalizations and over simplifications to the point where it fries neurons just watching the steaming piles of poo coming out of Cali's butt.

That's it.

[Jimbo]

I have no trouble at all with subtitles, but most people I know don't like subtitled movies. My brother-in-law told me, "When I watch a movie, I want to watch a movie. I don't want to read. Then I can't see the movie." Reading subs is kind of a skill; you can get so used to it, if you watch them a lot, that you barely realize you're reading and watching simultaneously, and they're no longer a distraction. Also, you can usually get the feel of the person's meaning/emotions better in original language better than English-dubbed, even if you can't fully understand them.

It's kinda funny. So many people make fun of the English-dubbed Chinese movies (or any English-dubbed Asian movies), but so many of the same can't handle original language w/subs. To each their own. But many miss out on so much when they choose to live with tunnel vision in a world of drab uniformity.

[Zenshiite]

For some reason I think people who are or were at some time avid comic book readers have an easier time with subtitles. I think it has something to do with the combination of graphical representation of a scene and text.

[GeneChing]

Two words: sugar daddy. ;)

Jaden Smith honored by ShoWest (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i888c20be761d1d655a2fa28b1546ba9b)
'Karate Kid' star named breakthrough male of the year
By Gregg Kilday
March 12, 2010, 03:35 PM ET

Jaden Smith, who is stepping into the title role when Columbia Pictures' "The Karate Kid" is released on June 11, has been named ShoWest Breakthrough Male Star of the Year.

He'll be presented with the award Wednesday at the exhibitors' convention on being held in Las Vegas' Bally's and Paris Las Vegas hotels. ShoWest also will screen "Kid" that same day.

"Jaden Smith is an exceptional young actor who has delivered a true breakout performance with his portrayal of Dre Parker in 'The Karate Kid,' " Robert Sunshine, managing director of the event said.

In "Kid," directed by Herald Zwart, Smith will star opposite Jackie Chan.

The son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Jaden Smith made his feature film debut opposite his father in "The Pursuit of Happyness" and went on to star in the remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

ShoWest is produced by the Film Group of e5 Global Media, which is also the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter.

[GeneChing]

Generally positive. Very interesting.

'Karate Kid' remake screens at Showest with major studio fanfare (http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2010/03/18/karate-kid-remake-jaden-smith/)
by Nicole Sperling

This year’s Showest has been a fairly scaled-back affair. Fewer big parties, fewer movies, more business. That wasn’t the case for Sony’s presentation of The Karate Kid yesterday, however. In addition to the big lunch the studio threw for thousands of attendees, Sony was clearly in it to win it when it came to the movie’s pre-show. Some of it no doubt had to do with their very important producers, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, waiting in the wings, but even so, this elaborate introduction included drummer and cymbal players, men in masks doing acrobatics, scores of women dressed in Asian garb lining the aisles to the theater, not to mention 12 little karate kids doing their own routine. It concluded with a shower of confetti streaming from the ceiling, carefully missing the studio executives sitting in the lower level. The act looked more like something you’d see at Comic-Con than what’s become the norm at this exhibition convention.

The film itself (which releases this June) is a worthy remake of the 1984 Ralph Macchio classic, and the delegates seemed to love it. Director Harald Zwart (Pink Panther 2, Agent Cody Banks) was able to conquer the majestic scope of China, and stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan form a sweet bond. Smith received what is sure to be the first of many awards for his acting when he was honored with Showest breakthrough star of the year. He took the stage in his white sneakers and said, “My dad prepared a speech for me with a bunch of funny stuff in it, but I’m 11 and I’m nervous.”

Karate Kid opens June 11 opposite The A-Team, so it’s no wonder Sony is setting the stage early with exhibition, hoping for the biggest theaters when it bows opposite the action remake of the popular ’80s TV show.


March 18, 2010
by Alex Billington
The Karate Kid (http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/03/18/showest-alexs-initial-reaction-to-jaden-smiths-karate-kid/)

Believe it or not, I loved it. Yep, Sony decided to show their upcoming remake of The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan to the exhibitor crowd at ShoWest in Las Vegas yesterday. And ****it, I loved it, even though it is a remake of one of everyone's favorites. Before I go any further, yes I've seen the original Karate Kid, and I love the original, but it's a campy 80's classic. This isn't a review since the version we saw was an early cut with a temp score, but this new Karate Kid is a wonderful contemporary homage to the original. It's an entertaining modern version of the same story, but set in an entirely different country.

Hopefully you've all seen the trailers for this by now, which got me pretty excited to begin with. Although I wasn't that impressed with Will Smith's son Jaden in The Pursuit of Happyness, he really steps it up here, not only in terms of acting, but it terms of physical prowess and martial arts skills. This kid can kick some serious ass and it was, as I was expecting, just awesome to see him train and learn from a legend like Jackie Chan. He's no Pat Morita, but Chan is a legend in his own right and he delivers a very strong and emotional performance that I haven't seen from him in years. The chemistry between Chan and Smith is just fantastic.

I don't know what else to say besides that I honestly just loved it. It was a bit long, which you may hear some complaints about from other folks who saw the movie, but I didn't think that was a big issue at all. I expect most people will go see this trying to hate it, and if that's the case, then they're obviously going to dislike it. But if you go in with an open mind, hoping to be entertained by a great movie with wonderful performances, you might enjoy as much as I did. I'll admit I was a little swayed by the use of some of The Last Samurai's score (at least I think that's what it was), since it's one of my all-time faves, but no one will hear that music in the final version. It's not entirely flawless, but I still loved the movie through and through, simple as that.

I hope those of you who are fans of the original can give this movie a chance to be great on its own. Don't try to hate it right off the bat, let it build and progress as its own movie, and you will certainly enjoy it as well!


Karate Kid gets chop from Ralph (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/2896502/Karate-Kid-gets-chop-from-Ralph-Macchio.html)
By ALISON MALONEY
Published: 17 Mar 2010

THE original Karate Kid kicked himself out of the new movie because he didn't want to betray his fans.

RALPH MACCHIO, who played Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 movie, turned down an offer from WILL SMITH to appear in the remake starring his son JADEN.

And the actor, who recently appeared as a regular in Ugly Betty, felt a cameo would by "robbing" loyal fans of the franchise.

"I haven't been involved with the new movie other than having a conversation with Will Smith and his son Jaden, who is the new Karate Kid," he said.

"I have less of a desire to be in it or do a cameo because no one wants to see Daniel LaRusso in his forties.

"It would be like robbing the Karate Kid fans of their youth for me to be in it so I think it's best to keep it separate."

Ralph Macchio
All grown up ... Ralph now

The 47-year-old, who played the character in three movies, says he is looking forward to watching the remake but admits it will be strange to see another lad taking his place.

"I'm excited to see it but it is odd because I have been carrying this name and this character for 26 years," he admitted.

"But Will has totally re-imagined the story. I think they have been wise to do something different."

The new movie centres on a 12-year-old who moves from Detroit to China with his mum and becomes a victim of bullying.

He turns to a maintenance man and secret martial arts master, played by Jackie Chan, to teach him the ways of Kung Fu.

Karate Kid is released in July.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Ok, I still HATE the title !
I mean, is there ANY karate being done at all ???

[Tao Of The Fist]

Ok, I still HATE the title !
I mean, is there ANY karate being done at all ???

Supposedly Jaden's character was supposed to have done some karate prior to the events in the movie. I don't know since I didn't watch it (even though I was there for the premier :mad:... oh well.)

[GeneChing]

As for the Karate vs. Kung Fu Kid, we've been over that. yutyeesam called it and his comment seems in line with the trailer. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=980167&postcount=147)This makes perfect sense on both a marketing level and as a plot device.

There's 5 Showest clips embedded in the article below.

Watch The Karate Kid Showest 2010 Highlight Reel! (http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEocmwsp7XVdru)
March 18th, 2010
Check out the all-new footage of The Karate Kid showcased in Sony's highlight reel at Showest 2010. In the clips you'll see footage from the Showest Awards Presentation, interview clips with star Jaden Smith, B-roll footage from the pressline, plus all new footage from the film. Take a look!

Directed by Harald Zwart, The Karate Kid stars Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson and come to theaters June 11th, 2010.

In Columbia Pictures' 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, 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 (Jackie Chan), 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.

[GeneChing]

...silly story. More in the wake of Showest.

Jaden Smith's Karate Kid injury (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/entertainment/jaden-smiths-karate-kid-injury-14733351.html)
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Jaden Smith stars in the remake of The Karate Kid

Jaden Smith's biggest injury on the set of The Karate Kid didn't happen during an action scene - but while he was filming a quiet moment with his love interest.

The 12-year-old - son of Hollywood actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith - stars opposite Jackie Chan in the remake of the 80s classic, as a young boy who moves to China and is bullied by a kung fu gang, and falls for a classmate, Mei Ying.

Jaden said: "The worst I got hurt was in a dialogue scene - I actually was just walking up to Mei Ying, it's the first time I ever see her, and boom, my knee was just killing me, I was like, what the heck, you know? I had to ice it and everything."

The movie was screened at the annual ShoWest convention in Las Vegas, where Jaden won the Breakthrough Male Star Of The Year award.

Will and his wife Jada produced the film, along with Jerry Weintraub, who produced the original and its sequels.

Jaden revealed: "My dad had the idea of remaking it. He's the one who was like, 'We need to make this movie'."

Will told the ShoWest audience: "It's very scary when you go back and fiddle around with a classic."

Martial arts star Chan teaches his young prodigy kung fu in the movie but Jaden said the filmmakers kept the original title out of respect for their source material and because The Karate Kid has such name recognition among audiences.

He also revealed Chan taught him to, "stay fast and stay focused"

[GeneChing]

Jackie & Jaden working it at the Kid's Choice Awards. Click for vid.

Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and the Will Smith version of 'wax on, wax off' (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/03/kids-choice-awards-demi-lovato-miranda-cosgrove-jackie-chan-jaden-smith.html)
March 27, 2010 | 7:51 pm

Jackie Chan was intimidated about working with Jaden Smith in the remake of "The Karate Kid"? Well heck yeah -- the little actor is Will Smith's kid!

Dad's advice to Jaden? Stay in the scene, the younger Smith said, and don't try to do it the first time, do it the first time. We'll see how he played it when the movie opens this June.

Jaden gives the rundown ...
Smith chan kca ... on his martial-arts training leading up to filming "Kid" -- check it out in the video above from the red carpet outside Nickelodeon's 23rd annual Kids' Choice Awards, and click here for a photo gallery of arrivals.

-- Amy Kaufman and Christie D'Zurilla



Original 'Karate Kid' screenwriter says fans wonder 'Why are you remaking this classic?' (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/03/karate-kid-screenwriter-asks-why-are-you-remaking-this-classic.html)
March 26, 2010 | 10:56 am

Rachel Abramowitz is back on the Hero Complex with a look at the past and the future of "The Karate Kid."

The writer of 1984's "The Karate Kid" isn't flipping for this summer's remake starring young Jaden Smith, the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Karate Kid poster "It’s weird to have your films remade in your lifetime," says screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, who has watched an Internet backlash against trailers for the June movie. "Two-thirds of the comments out there are negative: 'Why are you remaking this classic?' 'It was the movie of my childhood.' 'It was my inspirational movie.' 'Why are you remaking it? Just because Jaden is a little rich kid?’ I’m wondering if those people are going to go see it."

Kamen is best known these days as French writer-director-producer Luc Besson’s go-to collaborator on projects such as “Taken,” “The Transporter” films and “The Fifth Element,” but it's clear he has deep (and protective) affection for the 1980s coming-of-age film that starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.

In that original (which spawned three sequels) Macchio plays Daniel, a high school student who moves from New Jersey to California, where he is bullied by the locals. Morita, a handyman, agrees to teach the East Coast outsider in the ways of martial arts but the lessons are about far more than fighting.

The new revival is set in China, where 11-year old Smith portrays Dre Parker, who is even more of an outsider. Jackie Chan steps in this time as the mentor. The film opens June 11.

Kamen wasn’t invited to be part of the new production, although, per Writers Guild rules, he was sent a copy of the script and received a story credit.

"The film is exactly the film I wrote," Kamen said. "They just changed a 17-year-old kid into an 11-year-old African American kid. They changed Reseda to Beijing. It’s exactly the same, scene for scene. I was surprised I didn’t get [screenwriter] credit.”

Karate Kid 2010 The structure may look familiar to Kamen, but not the tone.

“This version is much slicker." Kaman said. "This version has scope, and big scenes with kung fu and beautiful scenic shots of China."

One major thing missing is sexual frisson, Kamen points out. The first had Macchio longing for the young Elisabeth Shue. “The first one had a girl who had [breasts] and [a butt]. There was some sexual danger between these teenagers."

He added that the date-movie crowd might stay home. “I don’t know if they’re going to want to show up. It’s now a kids' movie.”

Kamen, with tongue in cheek, said he has scaled back his plan to see the new film with a celebrity date -- Macchio. “We were going to drive up to the Chinese theater in that big yellow convertible that Mr. Miyagi gives him in the movie. Now we’re just going to dinner and the movie."

-- Rachel Abramowitz
[breasts] and [a butt]... lol. Shue in her breakout role...

[GeneChing]

click for vid.

Mar 29 2010 7:09 PM EDT
'Karate Kid' Remake Has A New 'Twist,' Jackie Chan And Jaden Smith Say
Chan says the new movie pays tribute to the 1984 original but is 'different.' (http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1635000/story.jhtml)
By Christopher Campbell, with reporting by Matt Elias

For those "Karate Kid" fans still skeptical about this summer's remake, Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith would like to offer their assurance that the movie is something fresh worth giving a shot. MTV News caught up with the stars on the orange carpet of the Kids' Choice Awards to talk about how their redo compares to the popular 1984 original, which starred Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio in the respective lead roles.

"They should see this because it's a great movie," said Smith, the charismatic 11-year-old son of rapper-turned-actor Will Smith, who also co-produced the remake. "We have our own little twist to the movie, the fact that we're in China. But it's just a great, great movie."

What the young actor appears to be saying is, let's forget that this is a reboot of the martial-arts franchise that previously spawned three sequels, including "The Next Karate Kid," which was a sort of restart itself, and approach the movie instead as a stand-alone story about a young boy relocated to China where he learns the art of kung fu from an unlikely mentor.

Chan, who plays that mentor, thinks both time and plot changes factor into the remake's separation from its source.

"I think it's different from the first one," he said. "You will see the difference. Of course, today's technology and filming — things are always better than 30 years ago. But ['The Karate Kid'] is a traditional classic. We just pay it tribute. I think everybody will like it."

And if everybody likes it, you can bet there will be another couple sequels, at least a few of which could star a more pumped-up and physically skilled Smith.

"Before the movie, he'd been training for three months," Chan says about his co-star's preparation. "Now, he's still training every day. I just see him getting better and better, his muscles bigger and bigger. Pretty soon, three more years, he'll become a master."
Three more years and Jaden will be a master? Jackie, what are you sayin'?...:rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

I'm amused that both Karate Kid and Red Dawn are going Chinese. That's telling for sure.

You know what the '80s means to me? ninjas. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=849) :cool:


‘Titans’ first entry in ’80s movie encore (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36096993/ns/entertainment-movies/)
‘Red Dawn,’ ‘The Karate Kid,’ ‘Tron’ also to get makeovers in 2010
By Glenn Whipp
updated 6:38 a.m. PT, Tues., March. 30, 2010

LOS ANGELES - "Clash of the Titans" writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi are understandably excited about their movie arriving in theaters Friday. But if you really want to get them going, mention the "Red Dawn" remake coming later this year.

"I love that movie," Hay says of the 1984 Cold War adventure flick where Colorado high school students use guerrilla warfare to stave off a Soviet invasion of America. "Everyone from my generation loves 'Red Dawn.' It's really ripe for a remake."

These days, it seems any movie that came out during the 1980s is ripe for a remake. "Clash of the Titans" and "Red Dawn" are but two of a significant number of '80s-related films Hollywood will bring to theaters in coming months.

Joining their ranks are Disney's mega-budget "Tron" sequel starring Jeff Bridges; reboots of "The Karate Kid," "Predator" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" franchises; a follow-up to Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" and the Sylvester Stallone-directed "The Expendables"; an '80s-style, men-on-a-mission movie teaming Stallone with other action stars of his vintage.

"It's crazy, man," Bridges says. "You almost want to look around and make sure people still have their cell phones and laptops. It's like going back in time."

You mean, like stepping into a Hot Tub Time Machine? The nostalgia-infused, gross-out comedy "Time Machine," which opened last weekend, uses the '80s as a punch line, taking its heroes back to a decade heavy on the legwarmers, mullets and primary colors.

"Anyone who wants to know why the '80s are a joke need only look at the fashions in our movie," "Hot Tub" director Steve Pink says.

But if the '80s are a joke, it's a quip studio executives and filmmakers are now eager to share with moviegoers. Chalk it up to the fact that the people who grew up watching Freddy Krueger and Mr. Miyagi are now in a position to green-light the movies they loved as children.

"Certainly, there's a fondness for that culture for those who come of age with it, and now we want to share it," says Columbia Pictures president Doug Belgrad.

In addition to "The Karate Kid," Belgrad, 44, and Columbia co-president Matt Tolmach, 45, are developing sequels and reboots to such 1980s properties as "Ghostbusters," "21 Jump Street" and "The Smurfs." 20th Century Fox will release a feature film based on the '80s action-adventure TV series "The A-Team" this summer.

"Grown-ups are always looking for movies they could share with their kids," Belgrad adds.

With "The Karate Kid," he notes, Will Smith took that idea a step further, suggesting remaking one of his favorite childhood movies with his 11-year-old son, Jaden, starring. The new "Karate Kid," due in June, shifts the action to Beijing, attempting to add a dash of culture clash to the familiar story.

"("Tron" director) Steve Lisberger told me that we've made the movie that people think they remember seeing when they were 8-years-old," says "Tron: Legacy" director Joseph Kosinski. "The original pushed the envelope in a way that we can't do. But we can take things that have been simmering in people's minds for 25 years and bring them to life."

Kosinski shot "Tron: Legacy" entirely in 3D. Warner Bros. converted "Clash of the Titans" to 3D after the fact, hoping to cash in on the "Avatar"-fueled mania for the format.

But "Clash" writer Manfredi says that what made the original so special — and what he hopes the remake maintains — is a good-hearted sense of adventure.

"What all these '80s movies have in common is a feeling of fun and excitement, a certain genuineness," Manfredi says. "You don't find that spark as much in movies these days. That's what we're hoping to bring back."

Others are attempting at stab at modern relevance with their films. Michael Douglas' Gordon Gekko has been refashioned as an antihero, warning business leaders of impending doom in "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

The "Red Dawn" remake has the Chinese, not the Soviets, invading America.

And you have to wonder whether the Smurfs will make a passing reference to their blue-hued cousins from "Avatar."

OK — maybe you don't have to wonder or even think about the Smurfs at all.

[Lucas]

you know they are remaking ghostbusters? its going to be original cast too....

[Jimbo]

So I guess the new Red Dawn will not be playing in China...

[Zenshiite]

you know they are remaking ghostbusters? its going to be original cast too....

It's my understanding that Ghostbusters 3 will actually be all CGI realized. It's going to be an animated movie like Beowulf and voiced by the original cast.

[doug maverick]

thats entirely false unless things have dramtically changed from last i heard. the new ghost busters film will be about oscar(baby from part 2)all grown up and becoming a ghost buster, the whole cast including sigourney weaver. bill murrays character is suppose to play a ghost. at least thats what all involved have been talking about...last time i check, it couldve changed...

[Zenshiite]

That's cool. I'd heard over a year ago that Murray would only agree to it if it was CGI.

[Lucas]

perhaps they are all doing the voices. it was in the entertainment section of my local news paper, The Oregonian on i believe tuesday. it did not specify cgi or not, just said the returning of the original 3 ghost busters. i was wondering how they would pull that off. all being older and such. cgi would def be the way to go.

[Zenshiite]

^Yeah, I saw that too. I think that article should have emphasized more how the 80s generation execs that keep approving all these remakes(sequels are not remakes and that's what GB3 is) just don't have a lick of originality in them. I can see there being a legitimate reason for movies like Clash of the Titans, I don't see a legitimate reason for a Red Dawn re-make.

[Lucas]

ya some of these remakes are partially shots at some easy money. because they know people will go see them for nostalgiac reasons. so it seems they are banking on that. which of course they'll make tons of loot.

[doug maverick]

if anything deserves a remake its clash of the titans, i remember the original version and thinking i would love to see it done now with the new technology. however i dont think they should have made it 3d especially since it wasnt shot with 3D cameras, but done in post pro. and now with theaters making the huge mistake of going up on 3d prices, idk how it will do financially, i mean its gonna take the box office for sure but we'll see. as for red dawn, that could be a potential tent pole. which is what studios are looking for. not quick cash but tent poles that they can produce yearly.

[GeneChing]

Despite it being a red carpet affair, both had a tepid response to the film. I'm thinking Percy Jackson was better, even in 2D (and I love 3D). I'm betting no one beats Uma's performance as Medusa (http://static.reelmovienews.com/images/gallery/uma-thurman-as-medusa.jpg) in Percy Jackson.

[doug maverick]

just glad uma was in a hit. her film motherhood, is well on its way tobecoming the lowest grossing film of all time...it made only 134 bucks american on its opening night in the uk.... those are horrid numbers by any standards giving the amount of theaters it was in.

[MasterKiller]

if anything deserves a remake its clash of the titans, i remember the original version and thinking i would love to see it done now with the new technology. however i dont think they should have made it 3d especially since it wasnt shot with 3D cameras, but done in post pro. and now with theaters making the huge mistake of going up on 3d prices, idk how it will do financially, i mean its gonna take the box office for sure but we'll see. as for red dawn, that could be a potential tent pole. which is what studios are looking for. not quick cash but tent poles that they can produce yearly.

The fight scenes in the new movie look ridiculous. Look at the new Calabos fight for a lesson on why movies shouldn't be remade.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810081563/info;_ylc=X1MDNzgyMDYzOQRfcgMyBGxkA2JsZARtcANibARw b3MDMzEEcG9zaXRpb24DMzEEc2VjA290dwRzbGsDb3BlbmluZ1 ByZW1pZXJlUGhvdG9zMzE-

[SPJ]

my kids think the movie should be called kung fu kid

my kids learn both wushu and karate.

they know the difference.

I said well they are all wushu.

so the question is that what do your kids think?

it is after all a kid movie.

and Smith's son thinks he is doing karate while all the other kids think that it is not karate he is doing,


how odd?

let us ask Jackie Chan that if he is teaching karate?

:eek:

[SPJ]

I mean hollywood may call it karate kid

but the chinese kids will call the movie kung fu kid.

so take your pick.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUdvgZeinm0

:confused:

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4-uMKYYN5Q&feature=fvw

I think JC said

I will teach you real kung fu.

He did not say kara te or did he?

you be the judge.

:)

[doug maverick]

my kids think the movie should be called kung fu kid

my kids learn both wushu and karate.

they know the difference.

I said well they are all wushu.

so the question is that what do your kids think?

it is after all a kid movie.

and Smith's son thinks he is doing karate while all the other kids think that it is not karate he is doing,


how odd?

let us ask Jackie Chan that if he is teaching karate?

:eek:

your late to the party spj we've already discovered that the reason its called the karate kid is because jaydens character knows a little karate before he goes to china and after he gets beat they tease him by calling him the karate kid...which is a good way to maintain the title.

[TenTigers]

your late to the party spj we've already discovered that the reason its called the karate kid is because jaydens character knows a little karate before he goes to china and after he gets beat they tease him by calling him the karate kid...which is a good way to maintain the title.
wow, so it's kinda like a "kuhrotty sux, Kung-Fu rulz!" movie!:p
(this will be great for business..for all us Kung-Fu guys!)

[GeneChing]

The Karate Kid Challenge at Six Flags Parks (http://thekaratekidchallenge.dja.com/)
Here's a novel promotion - smacks of reality TV. I wonder if kung fu kids can enter. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

* April 2, 2010, 3:00 PM ET
‘The Karate Kid’ or ‘The Kung Fu Kid’? (http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/04/02/the-karate-kid-or-the-kung-fu-kid-fans-debate-the-title-of-new-jackie-chanjaden-smith-movie/)
By Dean Napolitano

That’s the debate among movie fans over the remake of the 1984 film, “The Karate Kid.”

Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith star in the new version, also called “The Karate Kid,” which opens in the U.S. on June 11 and other global markets this summer. The trouble, however, is that Chan is a master of kung fu, a Chinese martial art, not karate, which originates from Japan. That fact has spawned a cottage industry of sorts, with numerous Web sites devoted to online discussions over the movie’s title.

The original, which starred Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, tells the story of Mr. Miyagi, a Japanese handyman, who teaches teenager Daniel LaRusso karate in order to confront bullies. In the process, Miyagi becomes the boy’s mentor and father figure. Morita earned an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for his performance, and the movie spawned three sequels.

The remake takes a 12-year-old kid and his mother from Detroit and transports them into a new life in China. There, too, the young Smith (son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, both of whom are among the movie’s producers) is teased and bullied by other kids before being taken under the wing of Chan’s Mr. Han character and taught kung fu.

The new movie’s detractors insist that the title of the remake should be “The Kung Fu Kid,” while fans eagerly awaiting the release don’t take issue with the name. Others just seem confused about the difference between Chinese kung fu and Japanese karate. (Kung fu and karate employ distinctly different movement techniques and each are steeped in their own cultural histories.)

On his official Web site, Chan himself refers to the movie as “The Kung Fu Kid” in postings last year during the filming. More recently, however, he acknowledged that the title is “The Karate Kid” but says the title in China will be “Kung Fu Kid.”

The movie’s official Web site explains it this way: Jaden Smith’s character, Dre Parker, knows some karate before arriving in China where he subsequently learns kung fu from Mr. Han.

But as one person wrote on Facebook: “We get that he knows a little Karate, but he learns Kung-fu from a Kung-fu teacher, fights against people who know Kung-fu in a Kung-fu tournament, in the land of…yep, you guessed it — Kung Fu! It’s like Batman being called Dog man, because he used to own a dog when he was younger.”

Still other online fans ask: Why mess with a proven brand name if you don’t have to?
On a side note, my sources tell me that it won't be called Kung Fu Kid or Karate Kid in China at all. There's no need to evoke Karate Kid. That film was never a franchise in China - typical myopia on the behalf of American movie critics. But just think about it - why would the Chinese audience like Karate Kid at all?

[GeneChing]

I caught the Cinemark's First Look preview on Karate Kid which had a lot of new footage. Looks like all the belly-achers about the title being karate and not kung fu will be put in their places. They showed the scene where Jaden is watching a karate video and trying to practice to it. They also showed a scene where Taraji is asking him about 'karate' and he's trying to explain to his mom that it's not karate at all. It all looks very promising. :D

[GeneChing]

The Karate Kid Challenge just became a Tiger Claw Foundation (http://tigerclawfoundation.org) project. :cool:

[GeneChing]

This film has the biggest promotion engine behind it of any martial arts film to date.

Little Caesars(R) Pizza Teams with Pepsico and Columbia Pictures' 'The Karate Kid' to Kick Off 'Your Ticket To Kick It' National Promotion (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/little-caesarsr-pizza-teams-with-pepsico-and-columbia-pictures-the-karate-kid-to-kick-off-your-ticket-to-kick-it-national-promotion-92100044.html)

DETROIT, April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Little Caesars Pizza, PepsiCo, and Columbia Pictures today announced "Your Ticket to Kick It," a national scratch-off game promotion, in anticipation of the release of Columbia Pictures' The Karate Kid. This promotion includes national marketing components and offers Little Caesars customers across the country a chance to win a year of movie tickets, pizza, and Pepsi-Cola beverages, among other prizes. The film, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, will be released in theaters everywhere on June 11, 2010.

"Little Caesars pizza, Pepsi, and The Karate Kid make the perfect combination for family fun," said Linda "LJ" Jaworski, senior vice president of Marketing and Communications, Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. "Little Caesars Pizza is excited to bring this promotion to our customers for the chance to win great food and entertainment."

Little Caesars customers will receive a "Your Ticket to Kick It" scratch-off code card by visiting participating Little Caesars restaurants and purchasing a fresh HOT-N-READY® pizza with any Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or any available product in the portfolio. The promotion begins on April 26 and continues while cards last. Customers simply scratch off their card to determine if they have won the grand prize of a year's worth of movie tickets, Little Caesars pizza, and Pepsi-Cola beverages (awarded as 48 movie passes and 12 Little Caesars® gift cards each good for one HOT-N-READY® pizza, an order of Crazy Bread® and Crazy Sauce® & one two-liter Pepsi-Cola product), or other prizes including individual movie tickets, movie posters, The Karate Kid merchandise, or discount coupons for Little Caesars and Pepsi products.

Two varieties of collectible mini movie posters with a re-print of Jaden Smith's signature will be available at participating Little Caesars restaurants beginning May 18.

"We're proud to work with Little Caesars on this exciting program and pleased to deliver access to such a great property," said Margery Schelling, CMO PepsiCo Foodservice. "The chance to win prizes associated with 'The Karate Kid,' which promotes confidence and leading an active lifestyle, will delight the whole family."

Communication elements to support the promotion include print, broadcast, and Web presence along with in-store point-of-purchase materials. Social media will also play a large role in the promotion through Little Caesars' and The Karate Kid's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Promotion details and official rules are available at participating Little Caesars locations. There is no purchase necessary to receive a "Your Ticket to Kick It" scratch-off code card. Customers can request a scratch-off code card without purchase by mailing their request to the address included in the official rules available at participating Little Caesars locations.

In Columbia Pictures' 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, 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 (Jackie Chan), 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 film is directed by Harald Zwart. The screenplay is by Christopher Murphey. Story by Robert Mark Kamen. The film is produced by Jerry Weintraub, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, James Lassiter, and Ken Stovitz.

About PepsiCo Foodservice

The PepsiCo Foodservice Division integrates the relevant units of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay together with Quaker, Tropicana and Gatorade in the United States and Canada. Rooted in PepsiCo's "Power of One" principles, PepsiCo Foodservice leverages the scale and breadth of the corporation's brands to provide a unified voice to its customers and deliver competitive advantage in the fast-growing foodservice and vending channels.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.

About Little Caesars Pizza

Little Caesars Pizza founders Michael and Marian Ilitch opened their first restaurant in Garden City, Michigan in 1959. Little Caesars added more stores in the world in 2009 than any other pizza chain and today is the largest carry-out chain internationally with restaurants on five continents. Little Caesars is growing in prime markets across the country, and is offering strong franchisee candidates an opportunity for independence with a proven system. For the third year in a row, Little Caesars was named "Best Value in America"* of all quick-serve restaurant chains. In addition, Little Caesars offers strong brand awareness with one of the most recognized and appealing characters in the country, Little Caesar.

In addition to Little Caesars Pizza, Michael and Marian Ilitch's companies in the food, sports and entertainment industries include: the Detroit Red Wings, Olympia Entertainment, Olympia Development, Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, Champion Foods, Ilitch Holdings, Inc., Uptown Entertainment, Little Caesars Pizza Kit Fundraising Program, and a variety of venues within these entities. Michael Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers. Marian Ilitch owns MotorCity Casino Hotel.

[GeneChing]

I've run on the great wall and I didn't need my sugar daddy to buy me a film franchise to do it. :p

Jaden Smith shows acting chops in ‘Karate Kid’ remake (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-ca-karate-20100502,0,28813.story)
The son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith stars with Jackie Chan as his martial arts mentor.
Lessons learned on the Great Wall
By Susan King, Los Angeles Times
May 2, 2010

Though he's not yet even a teenager, Jaden Smith appears as dedicated to his craft as a seasoned pro, putting in the hard hours to make his characters believable.

For his starring role as Dre in the loose remake of "The Karate Kid," opening June 11, the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith spent three months training in the martial arts in Los Angeles and then worked at it an additional four months in Beijing, where the film was shot last year.

"Now, I'm doing it again," says the poised Jaden, 11, who appeared opposite his father in 2006's "The Pursuit of Happyness" as well as 2008's " The Day the Earth Stood Still."

The film's title is a little misleading, to be sure, because Jaden studied kung fu rather than karate, but it's a skill that is serving him well. Kung fu, he explains, "helps me with stunts and stuff like that. It's great, and it's fun — but it's very hard work."

This new "Karate Kid" plays to a younger demographic than the 1984 original, which starred Ralph Macchio as a bullied teenager who learns karate from a handyman/martial arts master played by Pat Morita.

In the update, Dre and his widowed mother ( Taraji P. Henson) leave Detroit when she is transferred to Beijing. Soon enough, the diminutive Dre finds himself the target of older and bigger bullies who are taking kung fu lessons from a sadistic teacher. Jackie Chan, in a surprisingly dramatic turn, plays the handyman at Dre's apartment complex, who teaches the boy the art of kung fu.

The martial arts superstar also had a thing or two to teach the young actor — but not necessarily about kung fu. "It was more life things and things about the camera. He would come in every day and he would say ‘good morning' in a different language. It was very fun to work with him. He taught everybody things."

The youngster's famous parents, executive producers on the film, accompanied him on the shoot, and though they were there for four months, he says he didn't get much time to sightsee. "What I did get to see was pretty cool," he says, looking on the bright side. "I got to run on the Great Wall."

[GeneChing]

http://www.shockya.com/news/wp-content/uploads/the_karate_kid_international_poster2.jpg

Anyone go to the Karate Kid Challenge at Six Flags (http://thekaratekidchallenge.dja.com/)? Tiger Claw supplied some mats, but I haven't talked to our guy who delivered them yet today. He was pretty beat after CMAT (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56706) and had to leave early to get to Six Flags early the next day.

[r.(shaolin)]

ttp://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thekaratekid/
Insulting.
r.

[TaichiMantis]

huh?:confused:

[David Jamieson]

a) a remake is not required

b) it's more about kungfu than karate, but uses karate anyway and perpetuates that ignorance

c) it should've just been a different movie without raping our childhood happy memories as cheesy as they were or may be.

d) will smith is a jerk

[Shaolin]

I still have a crush on Elisabeth Shue.

[Almost A Ghost]

a) a remake is not required

Truth.


b) it's more about kungfu than karate, but uses karate anyway and perpetuates that ignorance

From what I understand they go over the difference in the movie.


c) it should've just been a different movie without raping our childhood happy memories as cheesy as they were or may be.

So true. It was such a simple and earnest movie. It got me into the martial arts. This remake looks all mystically retarded and they use wire-fu.


d) will smith is a jerk

He should be charged with movie rape.

[TaichiMantis]

a) a remake is not required

true, but I don't mind


b) it's more about kungfu than karate, but uses karate anyway and perpetuates that ignorance

pfffft! In the original it looked like kung fu was involved, come on...wax on wax off?


c) it should've just been a different movie without raping our childhood happy memories as cheesy as they were or may be.

Nah, just a modern twist to an old favorite...plus, it will get millions of kids to check out the original (making more $$$ for those folks).


d) will smith is a jerk

I LOVE HIM!!!! But I think his wife could kick his ass!:D

[GeneChing]

That's what Jaden's character Dre says in the Cinemark preview.

Update on the Karate Kid Challenge (http://thekaratekidchallenge.com/)

Starting on May 18, 2010, go to www.YahooVoteForTheKarateKid.com to vote for the best performance among the finalists. The Grand Prize Winner will win a trip to the premiere of the film, meet the talent from the film and more!

[GeneChing]

Jackie Chan: China's Top Celebrity (http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/12/jackie-chan-yao-ming-celebrity-business-entertainment-china.html?boxes=businesschannelsections)
Russell Flannery and Chloe Chen, 05.12.10, 03:00 AM EDT
The Hong Kong actor outduels basketball star Yao Ming to top Forbes China's latest ranking.

SHANGHAI -- Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan heads our new list of top Chinese celebrities.

Chan beat basketball star Yao Ming, who had dominated the list for six consecutive years, Forbes China magazine reported in its latest issue. Chan reached the apex in part because of the strength of his acting and his income from concerts. Last year he became the first entertainer to perform in the Beijing Olympic Stadium since Olympics finished in 2008.

For the first time the latest celebrity ranking from Forbes China, the licensed Chinese-language edition of Forbes, was expanded to include celebrities that hail from Hong Kong and Taiwan in addition to the mainland.

Yao, the Houston Rockets basketball player who is currently recovering from an injury, dropped all the way to No. 4 in the newest ranking. Taiwan music superstar Jay Chou came in second, and Andy Lau, the Hong Kong singer and actor, was third.

In a year when the global economy struggled, Chinese entertainers benefited from the country's brisk economic growth rate of more than 8%. "China's wealth is spreading beyond the entertainment industry's traditionally big markets in eastern cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and moving further out into second- and third-tier cities," says Echo Yang, who compiled the list for Forbes China. "That is providing a huge source of new business and income for Chinese celebrities."

The Forbes China Celebrity List surveys the popularity and income of leaders in movies, sports, media and music. Earnings were based on the 2009 calendar year. In this year's survey Yao actually outranked Chan in income generated; Chan did better in influence on the Web and television.

Although the list shows the clout of Chinese stars it home, they are increasingly finding success abroad. Chan, for instance, next month will star in the new movie, The Kung Fu Kid.

Rounding out the top 10 this year were mainland actress Zhang Ziyi, mainland actor Zhao Benshan, Taiwan singer Jolin Tsai, Hong Kong action picture star Donnie Yen, mainland track star Liu Xiang and mainland actress Fan Bingbing.

Two Chinese Olympians that made it into the top 10 last year following China's successful showing at the 2008 Beijing games dropped from the top ranks this year. Among them, New York Nets forward Yi Jianlian, who was last year's No. 3, and swimmer Guo Jingjing, who had ranked No. 4.
Kung Fu Kid. Haaaa. :rolleyes:

[GeneChing]

Enter to win THE KARATE KID on BLU-RAY DISC (http://www.kungfumagazine.net/index.html). Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 05/27/2010. Good luck everyone!

[GeneChing]

There's a photo shoot - follow the link.

Rising Son: The New Karate Kid
Jaden Smith soars in The Karate Kid. (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/fanfair/2010/06/jaden-smith-201006)
By Krista Smith•
Photograph by Art Streiber
June 2010

The newest incarnation of the Karate Kid, Jaden Smith soars over Los Angeles.

Only 11 years old, Jaden Smith possesses genes that have positioned him for stardom. He made his film debut in the Oscar-nominated The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) as the son of the character played by his real-life father, Will Smith. His mother is the actress and singer Jada Pinkett Smith, and his nine-year-old sister, Willow, has appeared in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl and I Am Legend. This month Jaden kick-starts another reboot of The Karate Kid, the 80s franchise that made Ralph Macchio a teen heartthrob and went on to spawn a girl’s version, The Next Karate Kid (1994), featuring a then unknown Hilary Swank. Jaden is the youngest actor to take on the strenuous title role. His character, Dre Parker, relocates with his mother, played by Taraji P. Henson, from Detroit to Beijing, where most of the Sony picture was filmed. His favorite sights? “I was working the whole time,” says Jaden. “I only got to see the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.” And how was the Chinese food? “I ate burgers.” Bullies at school and a forbidden crush drive Dre to learn how to defend himself, and under the guidance of Mr. Han, a martial-arts master played by Jackie Chan, he becomes a devoted student of kung fu and triumphantly surprises everybody, including himself. “Jackie Chan is amazing,” says Jaden. “On the set, he was teaching everybody. I have been doing karate since I was five, but kung fu is way different.”

Krista Smith is Vanity Fair’s senior West Coast editor.
http://www.vanityfair.com/images/fanfair/2010/06/jaden-smith.jpg

[KungFuCulture]

Of course I was jazzed to hear about Will Smith producing the Kung Fu Kid movie. I was just as disheartened to hear that it would be called The Karate Kid.

The movie even had a promotional contest searching for the best Master/Pupil relationship IN KARATE! In San Antonio only one Master/Student was a Kung Fu practitioner.

52 Year old Kung Fu Master Joseph Eagar and his long time 8 year old student, Andre Magnum, competed and took runner up. The winner? A 20 something Karate Master and his student.

I'm not upset that they won as much as I'm upset that Kung Fu seems to be completely dismissed. Check out video of the Karate winner and Kung Fu runner up here.

www.kungfuculture.net/view_toppicks.php?tid=600

[taai gihk yahn]

Of course I was jazzed to hear about Will Smith producing the Kung Fu Kid movie. I was just as disheartened to hear that it would be called The Karate Kid.
because the American consumer is like a sheep that needs to be led by its nose and spooks at the slightest change from what's expected - meaning that if it were "the Kung Fu Kid" (which would obviously make far more sense), then that might result in decreased brand identification and subsequently decreased revenue;

Christ, I'm starting to sound like HW108!

[GeneChing]

Search first, then post. Our members dismissed The Karate Kid title issue months ago.

The Vallejo winner was Gao Jie and Jasmine Magellenes. Gao Jie was featured in Hello Tiger - Wushu Champion Gao Jie By Melissa Leon-Guerrero Do in our 2005 November/December issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=624).

I'll merge this thread now. Better stay tuned to our Karate Kid thread. There's even more that the critics don't know and we'll be busting that out in our next issue.

[KungFuCulture]

Anyone go to the Karate Kid Challenge at Six Flags (http://thekaratekidchallenge.dja.com/)? Tiger Claw supplied some mats, but I haven't talked to our guy who delivered them yet today. He was pretty beat after CMAT (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56706) and had to leave early to get to Six Flags early the next day.

We went to the Six Flags event in San Antonio after we left CMAT 18. There wasn't much of a turnout. Kung Fu Master Joseph Eagar and his student Dre Magnum got runner up. A Karate team won. We did have mats, but I didn't see any promotion of Tiger Claw there?

[KungFuCulture]

Search first, then post. Our members dismissed The Karate Kid title issue months ago.

The Vallejo winner was Gao Jie and Jasmine Magellenes. Gao Jie was featured in Hello Tiger - Wushu Champion Gao Jie By Melissa Leon-Guerrero Do in our 2005 November/December issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=624).

I'll merge this thread now. Better stay tuned to our Karate Kid thread. There's even more that the critics don't know and we'll be busting that out in our next issue.

My post was suppose to be more about the Karate Kid Challenge not necessarily the movie. We didn't even find out about the challenge until a week before! Why didn't they advertise it in KungFu Magazine? Send posters out to some Kung Fu schools? Why only Karate Magazines and schools? I'm just saying. Yeah, I whine a lot. Sorry.

[GeneChing]

The Karate Kid Challenge was an experimental promotion. I've never heard anything quite like it. You can see earlier up on this thread when we first got word. It wasn't until about two weeks prior to the event when we were asked to get involved. It fell under our charitable arm, the Tiger Claw Foundation (http://tigerclawfoundation.org/), which arranged to have posters distributed posters to schools across the country through Tiger Claw (http://www.tigerclaw.com/home.php) and MartialArtsMart.com (http://www.martialartsmart.com/index.html) fulfillment, as well as emailblasts and promotion on our other viral platforms. All of those missives were completely non-discriminatory, as per request of the promoters. Everyone who looked at our sites or ordered from our companies received invite posters, including kung fu, taekwondo, even MMA.

Tiger Claw only provided mats for The Karate Kid Challenge at Vallejo. That was strictly a contracted job - Tiger Claw promotion was not involved there.

You'll have to read my upcoming story on The Karate Kid. There's a lot going on with this film that most people here are missing. I'll give you a hint. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57225) ;)

The online polls go live tomorrow. I'll have more promotional info then.

[GeneChing]

We all remember Rain right? Ninja Assassin (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52743)?

Rain collaborates with Jackie Chan for Hip Song MV (http://www.allkpop.com/2010/05/rain-to-collaborate-with-jackie-chan-for-hip-song-mv)
by GhostWriter on May 18, 2010 @ 6:14 AM (EDT) · 82 comments
393Share

It was revealed on the 18th that K-pop king, Rain will be collaborating with fellow global star, Jackie Chan for his Hip Song MV. And it will not be just any MV as it will also be used to promote Jackie Chan’s upcoming movie, Karate Kid.

J.Tunes Entertainment expressed, “Both Rain and Jackie Chan are close friends and the latter had suggested to create a MV for the movie.”

The MV will be released on the 20th and will be used in conjunction with movie promotions for the Karate Kid which opens on June 10th.

[GeneChing]

Here's the press release.

The Karate Kid Challenge Competitions

Talented Karate masters came out to Six Flags Parks during The Karate Kid Challenge to showcase their talent earlier this month. Only 10 were chosen as Finalists, and now it's time to vote for the ultimate champion.

Your vote counts! Make sure to visit http://www.YahooVoteForTheKarateKid.com beginning 5/18/2010 to cast your vote for the best performance. Remember you can only vote once a day! Voting ends on 5/25/10.

You can also take The Karate Kid with you on the go. Download The Karate Kid FREE game via wifi or PC from the App Store by clicking here http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=364298872&mt=8 . The application allows you to play five martial arts training exercises. As you play, you can earn experience points. The more you train, the faster you progress towards becoming a martial arts master.

The Karate Kid, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith hits theaters June 11, you don’t want to miss it!

[GeneChing]

Sweep the Leg! Interview with the real Johnny, William Zabka (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=899) by Lori Ann White, in commemoration of the release of THE KARATE KID on BLU-RAY DISC (http://www.amazon.com/Karate-Kid-Part-Boxed-Blu-ray/dp/B0038M2RLC/?tag=sonypicturese-20).

Enter to win THE KARATE KID on BLU-RAY DISC (http://www.kungfumagazine.net/index.html). Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 05/27/2010.

[Lucas]

LOL!

Sweep the leg Johnny!

[GeneChing]

[Rain (Bi) MV] Hip Song (2010 Rain Special Album)_The Karate Kid (2010) Official Korean OST (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qeQ_OhcHd8)

Plus a new interview with director Harold Zwart

New Interview: The Karate Kid Remake Director Harald Zwart (http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/05/24/new-interview-the-karate-kid-remake-director-harald-zwart/)
May 24, 2010
by Alex Billington

A month ago, I went to the Sony lot in Culver City, CA for an interview with director Harald Zwart, who was working on their sound stages to finish the score for the upcoming remake of The Karate Kid. Now, Zwart's previous credits are Agent Cody Banks and The Pink Panther 2, but I was asked to interview him after seeing The Karate Kid (which I honestly really enjoyed). I think Karate Kid is a huge step forward for Zwart, showing that he's more than just a director of cheesy comedies, and I wanted to talk about all that he had to go to through shooting this movie with Jaden and Will Smith and Jackie Chan on location in China.

Watch my full interview with The Karate Kid director Harald Zwart:

For anyone interested, I've included a full transcript of the complete interview below, in case you'd like to read the interview instead of watching the video. This interview was shot using my Flip Mino camera on the actual scoring stages that James Horner was currently using to record the score for Karate Kid (they were all out to lunch). Although I know there is considerable animosity towards this remake, I hope that everyone will give the movie (and Harald Zwart) a chance to impress and entertain you, as it's actually a great remake and wonderful homage to the original. The Karate Kid hits theaters everywhere on June 11th this summer.

I'd love to start at the top and ask how you got onto this project and how your career has progressed to this point?

Harald Zwart: Well, I had already done a movie for Sony so they knew me. And so it was kind of easy for me to get in the mix. But then once I was in the mix, there was a bunch of other people who were really wanting to do this project. And I got further and further up the food chain, meeting after meeting after meeting. And I felt that I knew exactly how I wanted to do the movie - I kind of wanted to treat it a little like an independent movie. I wanted to give the movie the flavor that independent European movies have. I'm from Europe and so I tried to really emphasize on what the emotional side was going to be in my version. I also tried to bring in the Shadow Theater and elements of China that you don't normally see. And I got further and further up and then eventually it was me and one other guy and I could not kick him out of the competition. So what I did was I - my wife and I just said - what do we do now, because he was a guy who had done a lot of these movies. He's a very talented director. And we decided to build a scale model of Jackie Chan's house [in the movie]. I could send you pictures if you want.

Sure.

Zwart: And we went into this model train store and bought sheets of roof tiles and then we spent three days after the kids had gone to bed and built his whole courtyard. It's about this big. We put little dummies and she came up with that utility pole in the middle, and then I started playing with the flashlight and I discovered that oh, they can actually become the Shadow Theater, with the lights from the car, and we lit it with little lamps. And that's how I walked into - Amy Pascal['s office], who is the head of Sony - a really smart woman and she responds to… I mean she just likes it when you show stuff like that. The passion and she understands the texture of things. And so once that thing was on the table, I think I won the competition [right] then. I don't know [if it was] that thing alone, but it was just something extra. At least that's how it looked from my point of view

Right, I know what you're saying. I have so much to ask, so the next topic… From the beginning, was it always the idea to move it to China? To set it there?

Zwart: Yeah, when I came on board, that was already [in] the script, the idea. Jackie was attached and Jaden was attached and Will was producing it with his company. So that was already done.

Did you have any involvement in the writing process once you got attached and on-board?

Zwart: Yeah, I mean, as is natural for a filmmaker, we started with - we were a group with Will and Ken Stovitz, who's a great producer, and the writer, Chris Murphy and then there was a script guru, Michael Hague, who we all have read his book. And we went off to this place up in the mountains, just working for days and days. But when you do a movie with Will Smith, he doesn't bring the book. He brings the guy who wrote the book. So that was amazing for me to sit there… We just sat around in a circle, day and night, just talking through everything, the story. We did a lot of research on the depth and the secrets of kung fu, a lot of research on bullying, inspired by Oprah Winfrey's show. We spoke to some of the people that she had on her show. I love the mythology behind just going into such depth of every character, because then once we - and we had tons of rehearsals. And then so once we went to China, it was just really painting it and making it as beautiful as we could.

It seems interesting that you were attached after Jaden and Jackie Chan were on-board. Because normally, at least from my perspective, I see directors get on-board and then it's them who are choosing the actors for the film. So what was it like coming on with them? I think the end result, obviously, they're perfect for the roles. But it must have been interesting with that dynamic coming on with them on-board and working with them moving forward.

Zwart: Yeah, I mean that happens quite a bit that you get sent a project that some star is already attached to. What that does is, it gives you the - that the likelihood of this actually becoming a movie or getting a greenlit is much greater.

Yeah, of course.

Zwart: So it's a much faster - I just realized today that it's less than a year since we started the process… So it's gone really quick. Whereas if you get a script like you say and you have to find the stars, sometimes it can [take] forever. Besides, I think, both of those guys were absolutely the perfect choice for the movie. That's also partially why I got really excited about it because I [could] just [see] the movie right away.

Was it always the intention from the beginning to pay homage to the original in the sense of its story structure? Because when I saw it, it felt very similar in the sense of the progression and the story. But the characters are different and the location is different. And I could see any number of other possibilities of saying okay, we'll take the Karate Kid's original story just go off with some other idea. But was it always that goal to stay very similar to the original, to pay homage to it as much as you could? Was that always the goal from the beginning and what you tried to do while shooting?

Zwart: Yeah, we all loved the original movie and we know that the original is very close to perfect. It's touched so many hearts. There is nothing wrong with the structure of it. It's just actually really, really good. So we just wanted to really maintain the beats and the points in the movie. But we wanted to do them different. And I think when you see the movie, most people that I hear from, they say they forget after ten minutes that they're watching a remake, even though it is actually very much point to point the same beats. The biggest challenge was obviously those amazing iconic moments, the wax on, wax off, the crane. All those things - how do we top that or at least make it as good? I remember sitting down with Will one breakfast and we were talking you about that fly thing and I thought how would I do this in a commercial? I thought we just need a button to that thing and then we all came up with, what if you think it's gonna be that, that he's going to catch it, and then the fly swatter comes out of nowhere. And that's like signing a contract with the audience saying, we know that you're waiting for these moments and you'll get them. We'll just do them a little differently. Jackie does wax the car in the movie. You can see the crane in the shadow on the wall. So they're all there, every single one of them. We just did them differently.

[GeneChing]

continued from previous

Are you concerned about the comparisons that are going to be made between the two films in the end when it comes out? Do you feel a lot of that stress?

Zwart: Yeah, it's funny. Like I said, I'm from Europe and the movie was a big hit back there. But it wasn't as enormous as it was here. When I went on the project, I didn't know that this was like messing with a national treasure. I didn't know that. And I might have been more nervous going into it then. So I was like okay, let's just make the best movie possible. And then after a while, when people came surfacing saying, what are they doing messing with this, to me it would have been the same thing as somebody trying to make a remake of Star Wars - I'd be like oh, come on. But I think we've succeeded very well in making it different enough that - because we're retelling a story. We're not necessarily remaking a movie. And it's an epic story about a kid who really needs to stand up for himself and he gets helped by a mentor. I always compared - it's as if Spielberg came to me and said, okay I will spend three months teaching only you how to make movies. I think what works in our favor is Jackie Chan, the idea of having Jackie Chan teach you and only you for months after months, is more than what Mr. Miyagi kind of achieved back then, I think. Because everybody knows him as - oh how cool would that be?

Obviously this comes from China being the location, but kung fu being the new form of martial arts that is the focus of the film. Is that something that from the beginning was the plan and was there ever a possibility that it would have just been karate like previously?

Zwart: No, in going to China, it had to be kung fu. And we just had to figure out how to make people understand that we know China is kung fu and karate is Japan. And we decided to keep the title because when you see the movie, you'll understand that it is a stigma. They are teasing him by calling him the karate kid. That's why it made total sense to us. In the movie, also the mom who doesn't really know the difference, she says, 'didn't you like that karate class?' And he goes, 'it's not karate mom.' So we all know it's kung fu. For me the big difference physically, was that in karate, there is a lot of the mechanical, this and that and you can just rehearse things over an over again. Kung fu is a lot more of a ballet. So when we came up with the jacket on, jacket off thing, there are like twelve moves buried in one single swooping move. And that's what I loved about the whole idea, that you can learn one thing and what you discover is that you've actually learned twelve different kung fu moves within that one little thing.

Who did you work with in China for all the kung fu training?

Zwart: We worked with Wu Gang. He's the master, as they call them, and he is one of Jackie Chan's guys and he himself was a champion in kung fu and wushu, as they call it over there. And he was fantastic. I mean the choreography on the end fights are just amazing.

Yeah - that was one of my favorite parts, just watching him learning kung fu, especially for me. Since I don't know it, instead of just seeing a movie where they're just perfect at it, watching the progression of learning how to do it up to that point and then seeing Jackie Chan's skills and everyone else just coming into it. I thought it was just, as you said, beautiful, and the choreography was great in the end.

Zwart: Well, thank you.

What was it like shooting in China? I imagine that was very interesting.

Zwart: Yeah, I mean, having had a commercial career, I pretty much shot all over the world already. I thought I had never come across any challenges that I wasn't going to - I thought I knew most things, very pretentiously of course. But then in China, it was a whole different aspect, because of the language barrier obviously, which we overcame with translators. And there is also a massive amount - the crew was a 550 man crew.

Wow.

Zwart: I wanted to make this a bit like Slumdog Millionaire, where I went into the streets and the corners of Beijing and shot authentic stuff. So I had to just talk to Jackie and Will and say - because they come with… Jackie - it's Beatlemania when Jackie walks up the street in China. So I had to say, let's jump in a van and you guys put on baseball caps and sunglasses and we'll get ready. When the cameras are rolling, you jump out, and Will was standing behind with me on a small monitor. That was the only way we could actually do it, because as soon as Jackie walked through the shot and they saw that he was there, it was pandemonium. And the same thing when we went to the mountains and those temples. To get there, you have to drive for hours into the mountains and then take a bus and then take a gondola that just takes two people and it goes almost vertical. And I said, I'm dependent on the light. If I'm going to wait up there for a 550 man crew… So we just all - let's do this like an indie movie and Will and Jaden jumped on with lens cases on their lap and Jackie schlepped equipment up. And we just shot it all off the shoulder and that's how it got that whole vibe all the way through the movie, which I'm very happy with.

How has the post-production process been? How has it been coming together for you watching it here and scoring and everything you're doing?

Zwart: I mean, that's always my favorite part. We cut the movie together pretty quickly and had an amazing test screening, which just convinced everybody this movie was maybe bigger than we first thought. And then we were so fortunate to get James Horner who came straight off of Avatar and nobody thought we would get him. But we showed him the movie and he loved it. So the last few days we've been in here, in the old Son scoring stages, and we just added the last touch of James Horner which gives the movie an enormous scope.

I'm looking forward to seeing how well it does and just reception. From what I saw watching it, I think it will be received very well. I think it's got potential to live up to the original and really surprise fans with everything you said in that it's a very different story, but with the same beats and different locations. I think it's a really great feel.

Zwart: Thank you.

With your career so far, you've done mainly family films.

Zwart: Yeah.

And is that sort of your forte? Is that what you love doing? Would you love to branch off in different genres and do other kind of films?

Zwart: Yeah. I think that's always a tough question. You always have these discussions with your team, the agents, and what's a good career move. And like I said, I've never really considered myself as very specific genre this or genre that. And commercials have taken me all over the gamut in terms of genres. So if you put the career thinking hat on, you go, oh family movies. That would make a lot of money. But you know, as a filmmaker, I think I've shown, at least with Karate Kid, that the visual side and that there's a much more - I think that goes for any director - that there's a lot more in every filmmaker than what you pigeonholed him to [initially]. But I would definitely love to get into more - I love science fiction. If I could make like a really serious Alien type movie, I would love that.

I also like the Indiana Jones franchise, with adventure but still serious and scary for kids. I wish I could just give you a clear answer, but frankly I really don't know.

Well, I mean it's essentially a hypothetical question, as in like what would you love to do?

Zwart: It's like I said, if the story intrigues you, the genre comes second, I think.

Yeah, interesting. That reminded me about shooting in China on locations and obviously the result in this is so visceral, so unique. But we see so often nowadays the trend of shooting in studio, shooting with green screens. Moving forward in your career, are you going to strive to shoot on location as much as you can? I mean, you said before that you've shot around the world. It seems like you really like doing that?

Zwart: Yeah. I think the authenticity of things… We decided on this movie also - no green screen, no effects, nothing. We want to go there and be on those locations. And it does give the movie a different breath, I think. There are still limitations, I think, in what you can achieve on green screen and the suspension of disbelief is always limited when people smell that they've been manipulated. It, again, depends on the story. But I always try to do as much in camera as I possibly can.

Is there anything else that you are currently attached to or working on besides The Karate Kid?

Zwart: Yeah, I have a few things. They're not announced yet, so I don't think I can speak about them. You'll be the first to know. Yeah, I'm reading a bunch of stuff and the buzz is getting around town. I think people see, oh, is that the same guy who did these movies? So that I'm very happy about.

Yeah, like I said, I'm looking forward to seeing it come out and the progression of your career and whatever you do next, I'm already looking forward to it.

Zwart: Oh, thank you. That's nice of you. Thank you.

Thanks to Harald, Bebe, and Gillian, for putting together this interview. Go see The Karate Kid this summer!