'Karate Kid's Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio Team Up for New Movie

Nearly 40 years after the release of the original Karate Kid starring Ralph Macchio and 13 years after the reboot starring Jackie Chan, the pair are teaming up for another addition to the Karate Kid universe.

Nearly 40 years after the release of the original Karate Kid starring Ralph Macchio and 13 years after the reboot starring Jackie Chan, the pair are teaming up for another addition to the Karate Kid universe.

Both Macchio and Chan are set to reprise their roles in the upcoming installment. Ralph Macchio will, of course, step into the role of the original Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso. Meanwhile, Jackie Chan will star as Mr. Han, the wise martial arts mentor from the 2010 reboot. The film will mark the official merging of the Karate Kid universes, set nearly 30 years apart.

John Entwistle, director of I’m Not Okay With This and The End of the F–king World is set to helm the untitled new addition. But who will fill the role of the new protege?

Well, the young actor has yet to be found! Tuesday marked the start of a worldwide search for a Chinese actor to play the titular character.

The adventure the young actor will take in the film remains a mystery. We do know, however, that Rob Lieber, who penned Peter Rabbit and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day, wrote the script.

Additionally, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the story will take place on the East Coast, unlike the 1984 film, set in Los Angeles, and the 2010 reboot, set in Beijing, China.

As of now, production is set to begin in the spring of 2024. If all goes to plan, the new Karate Kid film will debut on December 13 of next year.

How Will ‘Cobra Kai’ Factor Into the New ‘Karate Kid’ Film?

In the decades since its release, the original Karate Kid has become one of the most beloved coming-of-age films. The martial arts drama has since spawned 3 live-action sequels, a 2-film reboot, an animated series, and the Emmy-nominated live-action series Cobra Kai.

The celebrated series takes place several decades after the events of the original Karate Kid series. It stars Ralph Macchio as his iconic character Daniel LaRusso, now middle-aged.

It’s unclear how the events of Cobra Kai will factor into the upcoming film. With the series approaching its end, however, the possibilities are endless. As the series creators told Collider, there’s no end in sight for the Karate Kid universe.

“We will never give actual closure when it comes to anything,” showrunner Josh Heald explained. “We love working in the Cobra Kai universe, so there’s always potential to revisit that world. We’re certainly thinking about other ideas within the Miyagi-verse, and it’s only a matter of time before we figure out exactly which direction we’re gonna head.”

Heald then promised an electrifying end for the beloved series. “We’re really excited about Cobra Kai Season 6,” he said. “We’re gonna go out with a bang, and it’s gonna be an amazing experience for fans of the franchise.”

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