First Photos from The Karate Kid Remake Starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith

Posted by on December 1st, 2009   Filed under: Posters and Marketing, Remakes
Source: /Film

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Like everyone, I think I have a certain amount of morbid curiosity about Will Smith’s upcoming remake of The Karate Kid. Something about the project just feels wrong, and even though I want to be open-minded about it, the original film is just so iconic and irreplaceable that I don’t know how to reconcile that. I suppose I have no reason to believe that this will be absolutely terrible… well, except for the fact that it’s directed by the same guy who did The Pink Panther 2!

I was also really annoyed by Jaden Smith in The Day the Earth Stood Still, but I haven’t seen The Pursuit of Happyness which did get a lot of solid reviews. Then there’s Jackie Chan, whose upcoming film The Spy Next Door looks like a new low in his career. These photos are nice enough I suppose, but… are they really training on The Great Wall of China??! Right. I guess we just have to go with it. The Karate Kid hits theatres on June 11th, 2010; check out a few more pics after the jump.

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  • This is definitely a different direction for “Karate Kid” than the original, which very well may present a problem for adult audiences. As this post states, there is something “iconic” about the original and adults who remember it fondly from their youth may look upon this remake as a watered down version.

    While Jackie Chan is sure to infuse the right amount of horror into the film, looking at these pictures, I am left wondering if Jaden Smith might be a little young to play the lead. What does everyone else think?

  • Brendan

    Well, at least it looks like it’s going in a bit of a different direction with the location being China. Obviously the ages of the “Kid” and the Miyagi character are younger than the originals as well. But I’m assuming it’s still the fish-out-of-water-being-bullied-get-the girl story of the original. Hope they at least improve on the actual karate of the first one.
    I just have to say, I’m kind of annoyed by Will Smith forcing Hollywood to make a star out of his son. I just find nepotism annoying, as well as the whole pushing your kid into showbiz thing.

  • Marc

    This image looks absolutely ridiculous!

  • Steven C.

    I agree with Marc, I don’t think there is any doubt this movie is going to be anything other than total garbage.

    Also, what the fuck is up with that mustache on Jackie Chan? Did the old guy in the original have a mustache or something because Jackie looks like a total moron with it.

  • Napalm

    good lord! this looks cheesy as hell. plus the kid looks too young.

  • Big Hungry

    The Great wall of China in the background??? Really???
    It looks like the story will be way different.

  • Captain N

    The first movie was garbage. The second movie was garbage. The third movie was garbage. I don’t think I need to mention the fourth. Nostalgia is the only thing that makes it a classic. I doubt there will be many adults who dug the originals in the 80’s. If this hits whatever spot kids like, this will be the Karate Kid they will love and gush nostalgia over when posting in a comment section.

  • TheAllKnowingGod

    Oh no the kid has one of THOSE haircuts. Jackie should smack him with the stick just for that.

  • swarez

    Isn’t the film called The Kung Fu Kid now?

  • Teo

    This is going to be terrible…and isn’t the kid too young to be trying to score with girls anyway?

  • jaime

    Nut’s.

  • Ben

    “Gee Will, so you want to do a karate kid remake?”

    “Yeah, with my son in it”

    “And you want to try to get Jackie Chan?”

    “Yeah, he’s Asian. He’ll make the perfect Mr. Miyagi”

    “Ummm… but Jackie Chan is Chinese”

    “Yeah… like I said… Asian”

    “And you want to rename it The Kung Fu Kid?”

    “No. It’ll still be Karate Kid. Otherwise people wouldn’t know it’s a remake”

    “But Karate is Japanese.”

    “Yeah. Asian.”

  • kris

    bring back Victor Wong from the dead and remake the original three ninjas

  • stevie_baby

    So Daniel Larusso becomes “Dre” with cornrows. Mr Miyagi becomes “Mr Han” and it’s set in China, not LA? What the hell. Ignoring the fact that Karate isn’t even Chinese, and they’re not including one of the best parts of the first movie: The Kobra Kai team!

  • Will

    Dog shit…. Smith passed on the Matrix.. any questions?