The Karate Kid

[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
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
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
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.

Jackie Chan looks to revamp his image with new film
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
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

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...