Will Smith’s $312M Movie Hired Jackie Chan So That It’s “Refashioned as a Star Vehicle for Jaden Smith”
The Karate Kid (2010), a remake of the classic martial arts film directed by Harald Zwart, will turn 13 years old this June. The movie, starring Will Smith’s son, Jaden Smith, and Jackie Chan was centered on a young African American boy who was forced to move with his single mother to China.
When he got there, Dre (Jaden Smith) became friends with Mr. Han (Chan), a martial arts expert, who later taught him self-defense. The Karate Kid, which was released on June 11, 2010, was an immediate hit both domestically and internationally.
The 2010 sequel was mixed with the 1980s original as The Karate Kid franchise aimed to create its own multiverse. The Harald Zwart-directed movie told a new version of the classic tale in a different location with a new mentor—none other than martial arts legend, Jackie Chan.
Even, after his appearance with Chan in The Karate Kid, Jaden Smith was able to gain more fame and recognition. After all, that was the main motive behind his father, Will Smith, casting the Police Story actor.
Jackie Chan’s Fame Helped Production
Harold Zwart’s 2010 film, The Karate Kid remake made some significant changes from the 1984 original.
Jaden Smith, the son of international megastar, Will Smith, took on the role of the eponymous child in place of the unknown Ralph Macchio. As his reluctant teacher, Jackie Chan—possibly the most well-known martial artist in the world—replaced the kind, Pat Morita. And although nobody bothered to change the name, kung fu has replaced karate.
Jackie Chan, real name Chan Kong Sang, who is a Hong Kong actor, stuntman, martial artist, director, and singer, played Mr. Han (martial art mentor) in the 2010 remake.
Will Smith, Jaden’s father, claimed that because Jackie Chan was so revered in his home country of China, the production of The Karate Kid was made possible in ways that no one else could have.
Chan’s fame in China helped the movie’s productions in a number of ways, including being allowed to film in locations that were otherwise strictly prohibited. The Chinese government had agreed to allow filming at the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and the Wudang Mountains because Chan was a part of the movie.
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More About The Karate Kid
Despite keeping the same name, the 2010 remake emphasizes the main character learning kung fu in China rather than karate, which is from Okinawa (Japan).
The Karate Kid would only be known as “The Kung Fu Kid in China”, according to Jackie Chan, who told interviewers that the movie’s cast members often referred to it as “The Kung Fu Kid”. The People’s Republic of China, where the movie was called ‘The Kung Fu Dream’, proved this theory to be accurate.
The movie is known as ‘Best Kid in Japan and South Korea’, both of which were the local names for the 1984 film. Moreover, the remake, which was produced by Will Smith, “has been refashioned as a star vehicle for Jaden Smith,” according to a Variety report at the time.
It would also “borrow elements from the original plot,” which is about a bullied kid who, with the help of an eccentric mentor, learned to stand up for himself.
Along with filming at The Great Wall of China, The Karate Kid was the first motion picture to shoot in China’s Forbidden City in more than 20 years. This was made possible only because of Jackie Chan. The movie had its Chicago premiere on May 26, 2010, and Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, and Will Smith all made brief surprise appearances.
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Source – Variety
