14 DAY TRIAL // When Columbia Pictures announced last year that it would be remaking the 1984 classic “Karate Kid,” not too many fans were pleased with the idea. The movie studio would only ruin the original, most said, harshly criticizing the Hollywood tendency of always returning to the past and “reinventing” classic movies for different audiences. Now, in a move to distance itself from this controversy, Columbia has changed the name of the film, FirstShowing informs.
The news, although not officially confirmed yet, comes from none other than Jackie Chan, who would be appearing in the film as the iconic Mr. Miyagi. According to him, Columbia Pictures is trying to send a message to all those fans who took offense (in some form or another) with the remake, by showing them that this upcoming project will only be loosely based on it, and not a reinvention as it was speculated.
“They don’t want to call it ‘Karate Kid’ any more. They want to call it ‘The Kung Fu Kid’.” Jackie Chan reportedly said in a recent interview, as quoted by the aforementioned source. However, the name change does little for the fans and movie-oriented publications, who are still complaining about how Will Smith is using this classic film as a vehicle for his son, the aspiring actor Jaden Smith, who will be the “kid” in the movie, of course.
With a screenplay by Chris Murphy, the “Kung Fu Kid” (provided Columbia sticks with this name), will only “borrow elements” from the 1984 film, which technically does not qualify it as a remake, SlashFilm reports. Harold Zwart (“Pink Panther 2”) will be at the helm of the project, while Will Smith’s Overbrook company will oversee the production. Other than Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, the film will possibly also include Jada Pinkett Smith, Will’s wife, in the role of the kid’s mother. As fans can see, the upcoming film will be, by all means, a family business.
With all the changes and the controversy, Columbia Pictures has not yet announced a release date for the movie. However, for more on this, keep an eye on this space.