A new chapter is being written in the Karate Kid saga, and it’s bringing together some familiar faces. Karate Kid: Legends, due for release in 2025, sees Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprise their roles as Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso, respectively. This time, however, they’re uniting to train a new student, Li Fong, played by Ben Wang.
The film’s director, Jonathan Entwistle, revealed that the movie will bridge the storylines of the original 1984 film and the 2010 reboot starring Jaden Smith. “Without giving too much away, I can say that Mr Han and Mr Miyagi are the connection to Daniel,” Entwistle explained. “The Han family and the Miyagi family are connected all the way back to the old times.”
For Wang, landing the role of Li Fong was a dream come true. “I was the target audience when that [2010] movie came out,” he said. “I was exactly the age of the character… It was all of my favourite things in one place.”
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Entwistle was particularly impressed by Wang’s audition tape, which showed him performing martial arts in rural China. “It was very important that we could have somebody who could speak Mandarin, and who could do martial arts, and we also wanted someone who was an amazing actor,” Entwistle said. “Those three things are really, really difficult to find.”
The film also promises to tie in with the popular Netflix series Cobra Kai, which continues the story of Daniel LaRusso and his rival Johnny Lawrence. Entwistle confirmed that he has been in close contact with the Cobra Kai creators to ensure continuity between the different parts of the Karate Kid universe. “I have been a huge fan of Cobra Kai right from the beginning,” he said. “I was excited about the idea that the films and the series can all be part of one family.”
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With a new story, a new student, and the return of some beloved characters, Karate Kid: Legends is shaping up to be a must-see for fans of the franchise. As Entwistle himself puts it: “My hope is that when you’re sitting in that theatre, you’re on the edge of your seat.”