Variety is reporting some pretty fascinating news today: Jaden Smith, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s precocious spawn (seen with his dad in The Pursuit of Happyness) has been tapped to be the next Ralph Macchio (or Hilary Swank!) when the Karate Kid franchise gets new life. Jerry Weintraub, an original producer, is on board as a producer together with Will Smith. Jaden is going to be next seen in next month’s Keanu Reeves-starring remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still (looks like New York will get thrashed again. Terrific.). We smell a dynasty.
Of course, we can think of some immediate problems. For starters, no Pat Morita! Also, Mr. Smith the younger is apparently some sort of “martial arts practitioner” which means he’s already way ahead of where Mr. Macchio was in 1984 where he had to learn how to wax on and wax off to get good enough for the dojo. Variety reports that the new film will be set in Bejing and other exotic places and, “will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.” Does anyone here believe Will Smith’s kid would get bullied? And can there be anyone as fun to root against than William Zabka who will forever be known (to us, at least) as “the bad guy from The Karate Kid?
Lastly, we have to say something about the soundtrack. Are there any recording artists today that can hold a candle to Peter Cetera’s “Glory of Love” or “You’re The Best” by Joe Esposito? If John Mayer shows up on this thing somehow we’re going to be mad…
