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'Karate Kid 2': Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan in for 'The Crazies' Director
by Ethan Anderton
April 7, 2014
Source: Deadline
It's been nearly four years since the rumblings of a sequel to the remake of The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan began, and we just assumed that Sony Pictures had decided to bail on continuing the story. But now Deadline reports both Smith and Chan will be back for The Karate Kid 2, and The Crazies director Breck Eisner has been signed to direct. Harald Zwart directed the 2010 remake that actually became a decent hit with $343 million at the worldwide box office, and now that the son of Will Smith is growing up considerably, this could be a bit more of an edgy sequel to the family friendly original.
We're obviously not going to see this turn into The Raid or anything like that, but with Smith older, it does allow for a more mature story. The question is whether or not audiences still care. After Earth wasn't a hit for father and son Smith, but that may not necessarily be their fault as much as an unappealing sci-fi story from director M. Night Shyamalan. Eisner certainly made a solid horror thriller with The Crazies and he's been trying to get a new project for awhile (with an Escape from New York remake being the most prominent at one time), so we hope he can churn out an interesting follow-up. We're not sure if Kung Fu Panda writers Cyrus Voris and Ethan Reif, who wrote Bulletproof Monk, are still scripting, but we'll see.
23 Comments
1
After Earth wasn't that bad, I think that if they would have gotten anyone other than Jaden in that role the film would have been successful. Not to say he did a bad job, but Shyamalan and Jaden Smith need new publicists because they're currently box office poison.
MattPeloquin on Apr 7, 2014
2
If Jaden was the worst part of After Earth for you you need to reanalyze the film. From a visual standpoint, the film had no Sci-Fi Aesthetic to it, the CGI was circa 1995, and the writing was horrendous. Not to mention Shyamalan's direction. Jaden smiths acting would be pretty far down on my list of must fixes.
cg on Apr 7, 2014
3
I enjoyed the more organic textures of the ships and worlds, it was a nice change of pace compared to shiny metal ships with see through glass monitors. I thought the writing was linear and unique and found the CGI to be just fine, the ice scenes looked great IMO. I'll agree that Shyamalan's direction is on the top of the list of failures as well though.
MattPeloquin on Apr 7, 2014
4
I do see your point on more organic textures. It is a nice change of pace, but I feel as though they missed the mark with the quality of cgi. If we are talking about organic textures, the Matrix (1) comes to mind. The cgi in that film which was released in 1999 surpasses all of after earth. Just MHO.
cg on Apr 7, 2014
5
Good point about the Matrix, that represented the organic textures better and came out 15 years ago. I think I liked After Earth because I went in with such low expectations. It was after I had just seen Iron Man 3 as well which I had very high expectations for, but was let down. Me enjoying AE might have just been good timing.
MattPeloquin on Apr 7, 2014
6
The first one was horrible, why make a second? Plus anything that has Jaden Smith in it is automatically going to be a terrible movie. He has such poor acting skills.
Justin R on Apr 7, 2014
7
Fun times.
DAVIDPD on Apr 7, 2014
8
The first was fine, and it did very well at the box office. So in these times it makes sense to make another.
Cyy4 on Apr 7, 2014
9
I enjoyed the first one with Jaden and Jackie, took my boy to see it (he was 4 at the time) and he seemed to enjoy it as well. Saw it in theater twice actually.
Dresden on Apr 7, 2014
10
Thank you! One of the best remakes yet. Jackie Chan as Mr. (Miyagi) Han was the only thing I needed to know to ensure my vote for it, but that bully kid, man he was a little Bolo Yeung! And say what you like about Jaden... Actually don't. Son of Will Smith doesn't mean, not a kid. People are pretty evil to him. He reminds me of my nephews, with the hip hop and all, and folks talk about em like he's his dad. No, he's a kid, and that backflip crane kick ruled.
The Walking Cuban on Apr 8, 2014
11
Thank you! Jaden Smith isn't nearly as bad of an actor people try to say he is.
wat on Apr 8, 2014
12
Pursuit of happyness is a no brainer, I wanted to cry when he dropped his Cap toy, besides the fact that I was watching a movie about a struggling X-ray machine salesman right before getting accepted into X-ray school myself. And I was poor with 2 kids surrounded by mostly spoiled fresh out of high school classmates. The Day the Earth Stood Still.... Yeah. Anyway, the Karate Kid. Man I could not watch that movie without picturing him as Huey and Riley both. Braids, fro, and John Witherspoon.
The Walking Cuban on Apr 8, 2014
13
LOL. Not to mention the martial arts.
wat on Apr 8, 2014
14
Made Morita and Macchio look like VR Troopers. The one thing fanboys can't deny, but then "well why don't they call it the Kung Fu Kid?" Because cash rules everything around me, CREAM, making money, dolla dolla bill yaaaaaaaall
The Walking Cuban on Apr 8, 2014
15
I wonder why they didn't just have him be taught karate in the movie lol
wat on Apr 8, 2014
16
He should be Jeet Kun Do Kid, and just learn everything
The Walking Cuban on Apr 8, 2014
17
Haha.
wat on Apr 8, 2014
18
by the time they start filming (which I highly doubt) Jaden will be a fully loonied up scientologist.... a toxic bomb as far as Hollywood is concerned nowadays (Cruise has been "filming" MI5 for 18 months now with no, er... actual filming yet)
media_lush on Apr 7, 2014
20
this is the most horrific thing i have ever seen
Truth on Sep 2, 2014
21
I think Jaden Smith was the right person to be the Kirate Kid as he has high level Kirate Skills and actually that isn't the first one there was one made in 1984. Also there won't be another one with Jaden Smith as he has said himself that he won't be doing another so you can all stop moaning about him and giving him loads of hate if you have nothing nice to say don't say it.
3mhuk, Amani on Jan 4, 2015
22
I agree, However Jaden Smith actually used Kung Fu and not Karate (not Kirate as you spelled it), the title the karate kid maybe a little confusing seeing as no karate as such was ever used in the Movie. I believe that only Wushu style Kung Fu was used in this movie. There were actually 4 other Karate Kid Movies made, Karate Kid 1, 2, 3, all starring Ralph Machio and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita(Deceased) and The next Karate Kid starring Hilary Swank and Noriyuki "Pat" Morita(Deceased), so this was actually the 5th installment of the Karate Kid.
John Davies on May 23, 2015
23
In regard to Jaden Smith, I am a bit Disappointed to hear there probably won`t be a sequel to the Karate Kid Movie, Apparently I heard Jackie Chan Talking about Jaden, He said that Jaden was extremely talented in the art of Kung Fu, I really like to know if has continued to train with jackie chan, to see how good he has become, since the Karate Kid Movie 4 years ago. I also read something about the fact there was a deliberate built up toward the end which appear to be leading to a fight between Mr Han and Master Li, however this scene was cut from the mnovie. If you would to watch this scene, the fight between Mr Han and Master Li, here is a link (https://youtu.be/VrDyHKUz0dg)to watch it, enjoy!, JD
John Davies on May 23, 2015
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