Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start 'Karate Kid' remake

[Dimmauk]

I could have swore there was a thread for this already, but I couldnt find it.

This movie will suck.


Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start 'Karate Kid' remake (AP)
Source: AP Mon Jul 13, 2009, 8:54 am EDT

BEIJING - 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."

[Null]

Yeah, I remember reading that here somewhere as well, might've just been in some random thread like what are you watching.

Horrible...horrible idea. Way to come up with new ideas.

[Eaglestrike]

I wouldn't give up on it right away. If they have an updated style on things it could be good, especially with who is starring in it.

[Qalbert]

[Jefe]

I hated that fucking kid in that other horrible remake. I was praying he'd get killed at some point, yes praying.

[Pra]

This movie will probably suck, Jackie Chan needs to just go focus on the next Rush Hour if they do make another and hopefully make it better than the third. Therefore not waste his time trying to make a movie too many people already know and probably don't want messed with.

[Kiro]

Hollywood is gonna keep making remakes because they KEEP making money off of them. When people stop going, they'll stop coming and force the industry to become original again, or at least try harder on remakes / sequels / remakes of sequels.

[Zilong]

I thought Hollywood got tired of Jackie Chan about 5 years ago.

[hagun]

They couldn't just simply come up with something new so they thought about making a movie that people already saw.

Brilliant.

[BRP]

Make a movie about the real Karate Kid you chumps, Val Armorr.

[Ksandra]

Only thing I don't like about this, is I don't want Smith to spread his $cientology disease to Chan~

[Souj]

the name of the movie is "Kung Fu Kid"? what a retardedly stupid name.
why not just The Karate Kid? would they not let go of the trade mark or something? youre already ripping off the movie, just stick with the name.

How about Shaq Fu Kid.
in which Shaq takes an orphaned boy under his wing and teaches him in the way of Shaq Fu, and together they must travel to the forgotten ruins of the Ghetto to find the genie Kazaam to grant Shaq's wish to become a super hero so he can redeem himself by stopping criminals who are using weapons Shaq himself helped create.

[Dimmauk]

the name of the movie is "Kung Fu Kid"? what a retardedly stupid name.
why not just The Karate Kid? would they not let go of the trade mark or something? youre already ripping off the movie, just stick with the name.

How about Shaq Fu Kid.
in which Shaq takes an orphaned boy under his wing and teaches him in the way of Shaq Fu, and together they must travel to the forgotten ruins of the Ghetto to find the genie Kazaam to grant Shaq's wish to become a super hero so he can redeem himself by stopping criminals who are using weapons Shaq himself helped create.

I'm guessing cause Jackie Chan knows Kung Fu, and not Karate.

[SamanosukeShiva]

which asian martial art celebrity knows karate though? lol

[FallingHigher]

Hollywood is gonna keep making remakes because they KEEP making money off of them. When people stop going, they'll stop coming and force the industry to become original again, or at least try harder on remakes / sequels / remakes of sequels.

Agreed. You never know what other remakes are around the corner, they'll just keep on coming.

There is the whole argument of if you don't like it then don't go see it but a percentage of people will still bitch. Off the top of my head I can only think of 2-3 good remakes but I guess it's all down to your personal taste and stance on old films being adapted (recycled) into something new.

[Rhinox]

Funny thing is ralph Macchio probably still looks old enough to play himself in high school in a remake

[Klaatu]

Chan, yes.

Smith, fuck no!

[Souj]

I'm guessing cause Jackie Chan knows Kung Fu, and not Karate.

you mean all Asians don't know Karate?

[Velgadess]

Ralph's thoughts on the remake:

"Listen, here’s my take on it," the 80's icon told MTV News on Sunday, making his first-ever public statements addressing the remake of the film that made him famous. "I think Jaden - you know, Will Smith’s kid - the kid’s got chops. He’s young; he’s like eleven...That story will work forever, when well-told. So, it makes sense in that respect."

Without offering to teach young Smith-san to catch a fly with chopsticks, however, Macchio was eager to offer a bit of teacher-like advice: "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 said of the potential landmines to be tiptoed around by Smith, his producer/dad, writer Chris Murphy and “Pink Panther 2” director Harald Zwart. "I (also) don’t know where the romantic story-arc goes (with Smith's Daniel) at that age."

Macchio, in Park City to publicize his Slamdance flick "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead," added that friends have been sending him the latest news about the Smith remake ever since it was announced.

"(The 'Karate Kid' remake is) going to be interesting, from the respect that I think if they intend on copying some of the elements that are still present now (it won't be easy)," Macchio said of the original film's classic moments. "Reruns of the movie play a lot on television, so the now-generation knows it. It’s not like 'Ocean’s 11'. When they remade that, no one had seen the other one in thirty years."

Still, as a veteran actor who hopes to direct his first feature film soon, the 47-year-old icon insisted he can’t help but put some thought into how remaking such a beloved film could work – if at all. "If they separate themselves from (the original) but still hold true to the human message behind the movie,” he reasoned. “I think that story could last forever."

[fishstix]

They should make a spoof movie making fun of remakes and pre/sequels.