The newKarate Kidhas been found. The upcoming installment in the franchise, which will star both Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, has recruitedAmerican Born ChinesestarBen Wangas the titular karate kid, following an extensive search. The casting news comes courtesy ofTHR, with sources revealing that Wang won the role due to his “deep emotional connection to the character as well as his fluency in Mandarin.”
The same insiders went on to reveal that Wang “delivered a standout audition” that showed off his “deep connection” to the character. The actor, who recently starred in the musical adaptation ofMean Girls, is also reportedly “highly skilled across many forms of martial arts, including karate, wing chun/kung fu, gumdo, kempo and taekwondo.”
American Born Chinese
Wang recently demonstrated his affinity for martial arts inthe Netflix seriesAmerican Born Chinese, which followed his character, average teenager Jin Wang who, after meeting a new foreign student on the first day of school, finds himself unwittingly entangled in a battle with Chinese mythological gods.
Starring alongside Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan,American Born Chinesewas canceled after one season just last month.
The Karate Kid Will Star Both Ralph Macchio & Jackie Chan
After much speculation, it has now been revealed that the upcomingKarate Kidmovie willstar both Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, and thus bring together the two separate franchises. Macchio has, of course, recently reprized the role ofThe Karate Kidlead Daniel LaRusso in the Netflix seriesCobra Kai, with Chan having played Mr. Han opposite Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010’sThe Karate Kid.
While the plot itself remains largely under wraps, earlier reports have revealed that “the latest iteration will bring the story to the East Coast and focus on a teen from China who finds strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.” So, it sounds like the project will attempt to tie the likes ofThe Karate Kidfranchise,The Karate Kidmovie from 2010, andCobra Kaitogether, with Ben Wang no doubt the student at the center of it all.
Potential Karate Kid Movie Storylines We Could See
Sony has announced a new Karate Kid movie for release in 2024, but what is it going to be about?
The newKarate Kidmovie is all set to be helmed by Jonathan Entwistle, who is best known forI’m Not Okay with This and The End of the F***ing World, from a script written by Rob Lieber, who is known for Sony’sPeter Rabbitand Disney’sAlexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day.
It was also recently revealed that the creators behindCobra Kai, Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg,have been a part of the processsince development began on the newKarate Kidmovie.
“Sony Pictures Television produces Cobra Kai, and since Sony Pictures is making this movie, Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg have known it is happening and have offered assistance when asked. A source close to the project tells io9 the team has seen and given notes on all iterations of the scripts, and Entwistle speaks to them often, which is great news. They know and understand Karate Kid better than anyone so if they’re supportive of the film, that’s a huge bonus.”
The Karate Kidis due to be released by Sony Pictures on Jul 03, 2025.Cobra Kai, meanwhile, is due to end with its upcoming sixth season.
