Summary
- The upcoming Karate Kid movie is not a remake but a sequel that connects both the 1984 original and the 2010 version, thanks to the popularity of Cobra Kai.
- Jackie Chan’s 2010 Karate Kid remake was intentionally different from the original, with new characters and a different setting in China, but both versions share similar character dynamics.
- The 2010 movie focuses on Kung Fu instead of Karate, which makes sense considering Jackie Chan’s Chinese origins and the movie’s Beijing setting. Some iconic lines and themes from the original are adapted but still maintained in the 2010 version.
The upcoming Karate Kid movie isn’t a remake, and the fact that it features the star of the 2010 version is confusing a lot of people. The new film is a sequel to both the 1984 original and the 2010 remake, making both installments part of the same continuity. While this initially seems like a bizarre move, it actually makes perfect sense. Although it’s unlikely that this was the original plan back in 2010, the resurgence of the franchise due to Cobra Kai’s immense popularity has inspired the Karate Kid creative team to make this bold and innovative move.
The announcement of Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio teaming up to make the new movie made many think they were witnessing the birth of a Karate Kid multiverse. Before the plan for the new movie was revealed, Jackie Chan’s 2010 Karate Kid remake was the only part of the franchise that wasn’t officially part of the same canon. However, the movie is so different from the original that crossing them over won’t cause any meta clashes among the Karate Kid 2024 cast.
Karate Kid’s 2024 Movie Just Broke Canon In 2 Major Ways
Set to be released in 2024, the new Karate Kid movie will be merging the original franchise with the reboot by having one key actor bridge the gap.
Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid Remake Introduces Brand New Characters
Chan doesn’t play Mr. Miyagi
The Karate Kid 2010 was billed as a remake when it came out, which meant it wasn’t originally intended as a continuation of the previous movie in the franchise, 1994’s The Next Karate Kid – the final film to star Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi. The Next Karate Kid was an attempt to reinvigorate the franchise following the departure of Ralph Macchio and was the first addition to the film series since 1989’s The Karate Kid Part III. However, the final Morita Karate Kid movie has always been considered canon, whereas Jackie Chan’s story intentionally isolated itself by overhauling the characters.
Hilary Swank took the role of Mr. Miyagi’s student in The Next Karate Kid after Macchio was dropped.
Although the original characters were used to inspire the new cast, they are not the same. For instance, Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi became Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han. Daniel LaRusso, Macchio’s character in the first three movies, was reworked to become Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker. The dynamic between both sets of characters is very similar, in that the younger of the two sees their respective martial arts instructors as a father figure. Both younger characters having absent fathers causes a bond that forms some strong parallels between the two versions of the story.
The backstories of Daniel and Dre are largely very similar, although not identical. The same is true of Mr. Han and his 1984 counterpart. Both Han and Miyagi lost their wife and child in the events long preceding both movies, but the stories of how both tragedies occur are not the same. In addition, Mr. Miyagi seems to have reconciled his grief in the original Karate Kid movie, whereas Mr. Han is still very much in the throes of despair.
Both Karate Kid Movies Are Set In Different Countries
The Karate Kid 2010 moves away from America
Although The Karate Kid Part II is set largely in Japan, the majority of the franchise is set in America. 1984’s The Karate Kid takes place entirely in California after Daniel and his mother move there from New Jersey. The move from the East to the West Coast takes some adjustment for Daniel, but he eventually settles in with the help of Mr. Miyagai and his teachings.
Dre Parker’s story is similar in the 2010 movie, but there are some very key differences. Dre and his mother move from Detroit, but instead of settling in another part of America, they go abroad and find their new home in China. Dre’s adjustment to his life in Bejing is much more difficult. Not only has he been forced to leave his life behind in Detroit, but he also has to adapt to an entirely new culture with certain language barriers that didn’t exist for Daniel LaRusso.
The New Karate Kid Movie Is Repeating The 2010 Remake’s Biggest Kung Fu Mistake
The new Karate Kid movie seems like a great prospect but it is making the same “Kung Fu” mistake that the remake made when it first premiered in 2010.
Despite the different settings, certain set pieces from the original movie are replicated in the remake. For instance, the scene that shows Mr. Miyagi saving Daniel is translated into Jackie Chan’s movie. The main difference is that Jack Chan is a trained martial artist, whereas Pat Morita was not. As a result, the sequence is much more visually impressive in the remake than in the original. This is just one example of why Jackie Chan is a great addition to one of the best martial arts franchises of all time.
Karate Kid 2010 Focuses On A Different Martial Art
Karate isn’t featured in Jackie Chan’s movie
The setting of the 2010 movie meant that more than the characters changed. There’s also a martial art other than the one mentioned in the title. Mr. Miyagi is of Japanese descent, and Karate also has its origins in Japan. As such, it made sense for Miyagi to teach this fighting style to Daniel LaRusso. Despite the name of the franchise, and even the movie itself, the remake had to change which martial art was being taught due to the lineage of one of its stars. However, it ultimately made much more sense in the context of the 2010 film.
Rather than teaching Dre Karate, Mr. Han imparts the wisdom and teachings of Kung Fu. Although this may be at odds with the identity of the franchise, it fits the setting of the remake much better than Karate would have done. Jackie Chan, just like Mr. Han, is of Chinese origin, so changing the martial art in the movie from Karate to Kung Fu is the most logical move. Although Chan is a talented martial artist and well-versed in multiple forms of combat, Kung Fu is most fitting to a story set in Beijing.
Even The Famous “Wax On, Wax Off” Is Replaced In Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid Movie
The remake didn’t change the Karate Kid line all that much
Remaking a movie can be a challenge. As well as the usual stresses of making a film, those reworking a movie have to make the difficult decisions regarding what to leave in and take out from the original. For the 1984 Karate Kid movie, there is one line of dialogue that has endured longer than any other. “Wax on, wax off” is a technique that Miyagi uses on Daniel to reinforce the movements needed for certain areas of Karate, although Daniel thinks he’s just being tricked into cleaning his sensei’s car.
How Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid Return Can Happen For The New Movie
It is surprising that Jackie Chan is returning to the Karate Kid franchise, but there are ways in which the new movie can make sense of his return.
Jackie Chan’s movie uses a similar line, but adapts it into “Jacket on, jacket off.” The result is the same, but the legacy of one of the most instantly recognizable movie quotes is left untouched. However, cars still feature as a part of the story. Mr. Han is shown repairing a car throughout the 2010 movie, destroying it again once a year. This acts as catharsis for him, as it is the car in which he lost his family. Dre waxing that car wouldn’t have fit the slightly grittier tone of the movie when compared with the original Karate Kid.
The Karate Kid is available to stream on Starz, as is Jackie Chan’s 2010 movie of the same name.
