ICONS of two separate eras of Karate Kid films Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan are set to reprise their popular characters in Sony Pictures’ latest installment in the martial arts franchise.
Macchio was launched to stardom in the first Karate Kid from 1984, as he played Daniel LaRusso, a Brooklyn kid who becomes a karate student under Mr Miyagi, the late Pat Morita.
He would reprise the role in two sequels before a young Hilary Swank took over the title role for the fourth film. In 2018, Macchio returned to the same role for the Cobra Kai series, which followed a story set decades after The Karate Kid Part III.
In 2010, Sony rebooted the franchise, with the new The Karate Kid being set in China, starring Chan as Mr Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, as Han trains Parker in kung fu, despite the film’s title.
The reboot was seemingly set in a different continuity, but now it seems to be merging with Macchio’s films and Netflix’s Cobra Kai series.
The announcement came with an introductory video featuring both actors, along with a global casting call to find a new actor to play the upcoming film’s title character.
Due to the way the video was presented, signs point towards Sony Pictures looking for an unknown actor rather than an established one.
The currently untitled film will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle and written by Rob Lieber.
Not much is known about the story, but The Hollywood Reporter claims that it will bring a teenager from China to the East Coast of America, as they “find strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.
The film has a tentative release date of Dec 13 next year.