Karate Kid (2025 film) explained

Director:Jonathan Entwistle
Cinematography:Justin Brown
Distributor:Sony Pictures Releasing
Country:United States
Language:English

Karate Kid is an upcoming American martial arts film directed by Jonathan Entwistle and written by Rob Lieber. It is the sixth film in the Karate Kid franchise following The Karate Kid (2010), and stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, both reprising their roles from previous films, with Ben Wang as the main lead alongside Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight, and Wyatt Oleff. It is the first film in the series not to be produced by Jerry Weintraub, who died in 2015.[1] [2]

In September 2022, the film was confirmed to be in development, with the casting of Chan and Macchio announced in November 2023. Filming began in April 2024 and wrapped in June. The film is scheduled to be released on May 30, 2025 in the United States and Canada.

Cast

Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight, Wyatt Oleff, and Jennifer-Lyn Christie have been cast in undisclosed roles.

Production

Background

The Karate Kid (1984), starring Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, was followed by three sequels: The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and The Next Karate Kid (1994), although Macchio did not return for the fourth film. A remake of the first film was released in 2010, with a similar storyline but with a different set of characters, including Jackie Chan as Mr. Han. Despite maintaining the original title, the remake focused on kung fu, as the film was set in China. A television series, Cobra Kai, premiered in 2018.

Development

A sequel to the 2010 remake was announced shortly after its release with Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson, and Chan set to reprise their roles. Breck Eisner was tapped to direct in April 2014.[3] By then, two drafts of the screenplay had been written by writing duo Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris as well as Zak Penn. Eisner left the project three months later and a new screenplay by Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer was commissioned.[4] In April 2017, Eisner returned to the project[5] but by October, Chan expressed dissatisfaction with the film's script.[6]

In September 2022, a new feature film was confirmed to be in development, being described as "the return of the original Karate Kid franchise".[7] [8] In November 2023, it was reported that Jonathan Entwistle was set to direct the film, with a screenplay written by Rob Lieber and with Karen Rosenfelt serving as the producer.[9]

Casting

In August 2023, Chan was reported to be reprising his role in the film.[10] In late November 2023, Chan and Macchio were officially revealed to have joined the cast. The announcement confirms that the original films, the remake, and the Cobra Kai series all take place in the same universe.[11] In addition, Chan and Macchio announced a world-wide open casting call for an actor to star as the film's iteration of the titular character, described as a Chinese teen who moves to the East Coast and begins studying martial arts.

In February 2024, Ben Wang was cast as the titular character, Li Fong.[12] [13] In March, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Ming-Na Wen were cast in undisclosed roles.[14] [15] [16] In April, Aramis Knight and Wyatt Oleff joined the cast.[17]

Filming

Principal photography began in Montreal on April 1, 2024, and wrapped filming on June 3,[18] under the working title Victory Boulevard.[19]

Release

The film is scheduled to be released on May 30, 2025 in the United States.[20] The film was originally set to be released on June 7, 2024, but was delayed to December 13, 2024, due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[21] It was moved once more to May 30, 2025, so that it wouldn't conflict with the final season of Cobra Kai.[22]

Notes and References

  1. News: On The Hollywood Express . . Eric . Estrin . July 17, 1983 . December 28, 2018.
  2. Producer Jerry Weintraub Dies at 77 . . Duane . Byrge . July 6, 2015 . December 28, 2018.
  3. Web site: 'Karate Kid 2' Locks Breck Eisner To Helm Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan. Mike Jr.. Fleming. April 7, 2014.
  4. Web site: 'Karate Kid 2' Gets New Writers, Loses Director Breck Eisner. June 26, 2014. ScreenRant.
  5. Web site: Breck Eisner Will Direct 'Karate Kid 2' (Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan Return). shadowandact.com.
  6. Web site: Jackie Chan Gives Update On Karate Kid Sequel. October 6, 2017. LRM.
  7. Web site: Jirak . Jamie . September 16, 2022 . Karate Kid: Sony Announces 2024 Release Date for New Movie . September 16, 2022 . ComicBook.com.
  8. Web site: New 'Karate Kid' Movie Among Sony Pictures Release Date Adds; 'Kraven The Hunter,' 'Madame Web' Move & More. D'Alessandro. Anthony. September 16, 2022. September 17, 2022. Deadline Hollywood.
  9. Web site: 'Karate Kid' Open Casting Call Quickly Lands 10K Submissions for Lead Role in New Film . Gajewski . Ryan . November 22, 2023 . November 22, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. Web site: Jackie Chan is Set to Reprise his Role in the New 'Karate Kid' Movie. Max Blizz. Arun Venugopal. August 9, 2023. November 23, 2023.
  11. Web site: Kit . Borys . November 21, 2023 . Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio Team for New 'Karate Kid' Movie . November 21, 2023 . . en-US.
  12. News: Ben Wang Is The New Lead For Sony's Karate Kid . April 4, 2024 . The Republic Reporter . February 12, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240404025326/https://republicreporter.com/2024/02/ben-wang-is-the-new-lead-for-sonys-karate-kid/. April 4, 2024. live.
  13. Web site: 'Karate Kid' Found: 'American Born Chinese' Actor Ben Wang Nabs Lead in Sony Movie (Exclusive). February 12, 2024. Kit. Borys. February 12, 2024. The Hollywood Reporter. February 12, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240212194856/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/karate-kid-found-ben-wang-1235822729/. live.
  14. Web site: Joshua Jackson Joins Sony's 'Karate Kid' (Exclusive). March 1, 2024. Kit. Borys. March 1, 2024. The Hollywood Reporter. March 1, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240301222401/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/joshua-jackson-joins-sonys-karate-kid-1235840696/. live.
  15. Web site: 'Karate Kid' Casts 'Cruel Summer' Star Sadie Stanley as Romantic Lead (Exclusive). March 6, 2024. Kit. Borys. March 6, 2024. The Hollywood Reporter. March 6, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240306185532/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/karate-kid-casts-cruel-summer-star-sadie-stanley-1235844535/. live.
  16. Web site: Ming-Na Wen Joins Sony's New 'Karate Kid' Film (Exclusive). March 6, 2024. Stephan. Katcy. March 6, 2024. Variety. March 6, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240306224631/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/ming-na-wen-new-karate-kid-film-sony-1235931666/. live.
  17. Web site: Aramis Knight & Wyatt Oleff Join Sony's 'Karate Kid'. April 3, 2024. Stephan. Katcy. April 3, 2024. Deadline Hollywood. April 3, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240403170206/https://deadline.com/2024/04/karate-kid-aramis-knight-wyatt-oleff-join-sony-1235874426/. live.
  18. Web site: Williams . Sophie . 2024-06-04 . Sony's 'Karate Kid' Starring Ben Wang, Jackie Chan, and Ralph Macchio Wraps Filming . 2024-06-04 . Maxblizz . en-US.
  19. Web site: What's Shooting . March 4, 2024 . ACTRA Montreal . https://web.archive.org/web/20240525040925/https://www.actramontreal.ca/whats-shooting/ . May 25, 2024 . live.
  20. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . April 26, 2024 . 'Kraven The Hunter' Heads To December, 'Karate Kid' To Chop Next Summer: Sony Release Date Changes . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240427001430/https://deadline.com/2024/04/kraven-the-hunter-karate-kid-1235897029/ . April 27, 2024 . April 26, 2024 . Deadline Hollywood.
  21. Web site: Donnelly . Matt . July 28, 2023 . 'Beyond the Spider-Verse' Taken Off Sony Release Calendar as Strikes Delay 'Kraven' and 'Ghostbusters' Sequel to 2024 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230728210719/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/spider-man-beyond-the-spider-verse-kraven-release-date-pushed-2024-strikes-1235682520/ . July 28, 2023 . July 29, 2023 . Variety.
  22. Web site: 'Kraven the Hunter,' 'Karate Kid' Pushed Back by Sony. Couch. Aaron. April 26, 2024. April 27, 2024. The Hollywood Reporter.

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