Last November, word landed — via Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, no less — that Sony was looking to continue the Karate Kid franchise in a way that sadly isn't the big screen shot that Cobra Kai deserves, but instead an odd plan to combine the original storyline and the 2010 reimagining, with Macchio and Chan starring alongside a newcomer. A global casting search was kicked off to find the new kid and… well, we've got bad news for any total unknowns who applied as American Born Chinese actor Ben Wang has nailed the audition and won the role.
The new movie has I’m Not Okay with This and The End Of The F-ing World creator Jonathan Entwistle directing from a script by Peter Rabbit's Rob Lieber. No title has been announced yet (beyond the obvious karate-flavoured name), and the main plot is being largely kept a secret, though it'll reportedly bring the story to the East Coast and focus on a teen from China who finds strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.
Wang had an advantage in that he speaks fluent Mandarin and is skilled in a variety of martial arts including karate, wing chun/kung fu, kempo and tae kwon do, which anyone who saw American Born Chinese will know – unfortunately for that show, not enough people did, as Disney+ recently cancelled it after one season.
Sony wants to have this one shooting soon, as the studio already has a 13 December release date picked out. Time to wax on…