Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan are officially making a Karate Kid movie together, despite the two actors starring in two different takes at the franchise, it sounds like their individual Karate Kid stories will be uniting as one!
Macchio, best known for his role as Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 classic The Karate Kid, confirmed the news alongside Chan in a new video where the two stars announced they’re on the hunt for an actor to audition to star as the main “Karate Kid” this time around.
Chan starred in a 2010 reboot of the original movie as Mr. Han, alongside a young Jaden Smith who played a character called Dre Parker – who in that movie, was the main titular “Karate Kid”.
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Despite Chan’s movie and Macchio’s movie being two separate stories, but similar ones, it looks like a ‘Karate Verse’ has been formed (thanks to CoveredGeekly writer Kyle Sivits for that terminology being used here!)
What We Know So Far About The New Karate Kid Movie
Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan are officially set to reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han in an all-new Karate Kid movie, and casting for a new lead actor is currently underway.
All we know so far about the title of the movie is that it’s safe to call it “The Karate Kid Movie” for now, however, its official title has yet to technically be revealed – they may be calling it something else.
The movie itself had been known, however, Chan and Macchio being attached to it had not been – they somewhat confirm in the aforelinked video that their two “Karate Kid” universes will now canonically be considered as one.
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Chan says in the video, “We’ve got big news,” Macchio adds, “We’re starring in a new Karate Kid movie together,” – which at least confirms the two actors will be back as stars in the project.
Chan adds, “But we have even bigger news,” which Macchio jokingly reacts to by asking, “Bigger than that?”
“We’re looking for the next Karate Kid,” Chan reveals.
Macchio continues, “That’s right, the global search for the star of our new film starts right now,”.
Macchio then quotes the iconic line from his original movie, “So let’s wax on, wax off everybody,” to which Chan jokingly responds by quoting his movie’s version of the line, “[don’t] you mean ‘jacket on, jacket off, hang it up’”.
“Maybe the new Karate Kid will have to do it all,” Macchio teases, “I’m excited, you excited?”
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Chan shows his enthusiasm by responding with, “I’m very VERY excited.”
The Karate Kid is scheduled to be released on December 13, 2024.