Newswire

Name Changes

After Ditching Karate and Miyagi, The Karate Kid Remake Loses Title

Written by Kyle Buchanan | 13 Jul 2009, 5:00 PM | 8 comments

jadenjackie.jpgThe Jackie Chan/Jaden Smith remake of The Karate Kid is a strange case: Due to financial obligations that forced the film to shoot in China, the movie lost most of the cultural markers associated with the original film, like karate, Mr. Miyagi, and Sherman Oaks miniature golf. So why call it The Karate Kid still, amirite? Well, it appears the filmmakers have listened, christening the film with a new name.

Now, the movie will be called Kung Fu Kid, reports the AP. And Chan’s mentor? “Mr. Han,” a janitor. Well, sure.

The movie is directed by Harald Zwart, who directed One Night at McCool’s and Pink Panther 2. Well, it’s guaranteed to be great, then! Good that we can all agree on that.

· Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start ‘Karate Kid’ remake [AP via Slashfilm]

Tagged: jackie chan, jaden smith, the karate kid, the kung fu kid

Email this

Comments

From Furious D | Reply
Posted 13 Jul 2009, 5:05 PM

Wait a minute... I think it's stopped being a remake at some point.

From hotmonkey | Reply
Posted 13 Jul 2009, 5:14 PM

Wow--Jada's looking remarkably femme in that pic...

From Lowbrow | Reply
Posted 13 Jul 2009, 5:40 PM

If it was possible to make The Day the Earth Stood Still remake any more mundane, ignoble, or loathsome - it was thanks to Jaden Smith.

From Patricia | Reply
Posted 13 Jul 2009, 6:09 PM

I'm making a remake of "To Kill a Mockingbird." It's not set in the American south. It's not in the 1930's. There's no Aticus, Sport or her older brother. The title is different too. But it has neighborhood kids and a trial so I'm still calling it a remake of "To Kill a Mockingbird." Are you questioning my motives?

From The Robotard 8000 | Reply
Posted 13 Jul 2009, 7:34 PM

CRISIS AVERTED!

Ralph Macchio's legacy is safe once again.

From Mr. Sex | Reply
Posted 13 Jul 2009, 7:59 PM

Kung Fu Kid?? Meanwhile the Folks at Asylum Studios announced they're producing "Some Karate, Kid"

Starring and Directed by C. Thomas Howell. Ralph Macchio reprises a... similar role. DJ Jazzy Jeff's nephew plays the Pupil.

From snickers | Reply
Posted 14 Jul 2009, 12:02 AM

The new title sounds like a movie about the (mis)adventures of a young Kwai Chang Caine.

From Steven | Reply
Posted 14 Jul 2009, 7:06 AM

Wow, I forgot about that shittyOne Night at McCool's movie. One of the worst titles in cinema history.

Post a comment

By the Numbers: weekend takes every Monday
Avatar 20th C Fox
$34.9M
$554.9M
Legion Sony
$17.5M
$18.7M
Book Of Eli Warner
$15.7M
$62.0M
Tooth Fairy 20th C Fox
$14.0M
$14.6M
Lovely Bones Paramount
$8.4M
$31.7M
Sherlock Holmes Warner
$6.6M
$191.5M
Alvin: The Squeakquel 20th C Fox
$6.4M
$20.4M
Extraordinary Measures CBS
$6.0M
$6.0M
It's Complicated Universal
$5.8M
$98.7M
Spy Next Door Lionsgate
$4.5M
$18.8M
Data courtesy of Rentrak