In a thrilling announcement for fans of the iconic Karate Kid franchise, a new movie is in the works featuring the dynamic duo of Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan.
The news comes on the heels of the immense success of the TV series Cobra Kai, where Macchio reprised his role, and Chan made a notable appearance in the 2010 Karate Kid reboot.
The exciting news was shared through a short video in which Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan jointly disclosed the upcoming project. Alongside this revelation, a global casting call has been initiated to discover a teenage talent who will play a pivotal role in the film.
The casting notice indicates the introduction of a new character named Li Fong, described as “Chinese or mixed-race Chinese, aged between 15-17 years old, [who] speaks fluent English.” The character is characterized as intelligent, scrappy, and a skilled martial artist, with conversational Mandarin being a significant plus.
The inclusion of both Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan suggests that the new film will seamlessly blend elements from different strands of the Karate Kid series. This includes the beloved “Miyagi-verse,” centered around the Japanese-American coach-mentor figure portrayed by the late Pat Morita.
The “Miyagi-verse” played a crucial role in the initial three films with Macchio and extended to the 1994 sequel, The Next Karate Kid, featuring Hilary Swank alongside Morita. Cobra Kai, set in the same universe and named after the dojo where Macchio’s character Daniel LaRusso achieved victory, also incorporates Morita through flashbacks.
The 2010 Karate Kid film, however, took a unique approach by relocating the action to China, shifting the martial art focus to kung fu, and introducing Chan as the Miyagi-style mentor, Mr. Han. The forthcoming movie appears poised to unite these distinct elements, promising an exhilarating continuation of the Karate Kid legacy.
