“Karate Kid” Reboot Is Planned; It’s Very Different From “Cobra Kai”

“The Karate Kid” remake is coming. It’ll be the first film in a “reboot series”, and it’s already been designed to be very different from Cobra Kai, the sequel series to The Karate Kid that recently aired on YouTube Red.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Pictures and Overbrook Entertainment (Will Smith’s production company) are already working on a new “Karate Kid” movie. It’s expected to hit theatres in June 2023 and it’ll be directed by Dope’s Rick Famuyiwa, who previously served as the writer for the 2017 comedy film The Dope. Meanwhile, Stephen J. Rivele & Christopher Wilkinson will write the script.

What is the movie franchise based upon?

“The Karate Kid” is produced by Columbia Pictures (a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment) and Overbrook Entertainment. It’s based on a series of movies with the same name, which was created by Robert Mark Kamen and written by Luc Besson. The first film in the movie franchise was released in 1984, followed by a sequel called “The Karate Kid Part II”. The last film was released on May 12, 1989.

What do fans expect from this?

It’s nearly impossible to make people forget about Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. “The Karate Kid” is a classic film that influenced a generation of young people who were eager to learn karate in the ’80s. According to reports, this new remake will be the first film in an intended reboot series. It’ll pass on the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), a teenager who moves from Newark, New Jersey to compete for a high-ranking position in his new town. In his new school, Daniels faces bullying – but he also meets Mr. Miyagi (played by Pat Morita). The latter teaches LaRusso karate and helps him get rid of his problems with the bullies.

What do critics say about this upcoming film?

The film is described as “a reimagining that explores the karate Kid themes of bullying, peer pressure, and depression”. However, it’s already been confirmed that this new movie will be very different from Cobra Kai. As Variety reported, the new film will be directed by Rick Famuyiwa. “The Karate Kid” remake will focus on LaRusso (a teenager) and his relationship with Miyagi.

What is interesting about this film/franchise?

This decade will be dominated by the trends of reboots and remakes, we’re already seeing a lot of them. In addition, it’s always interesting to see how a small storyline can influence a generation of actors & actresses from the ’80s. Thus, this new movie with Ralph Macchio is expected to become another classic film that influenced the younger generations.

What can we learn from this film series?

Sometimes, the smallest moments can produce a big impact. The Karate Kid franchise indeed was one of those successful series that led to a lot of sequels. But the stories themselves were very small, and in turn, they didn’t give us any extra information about their main characters (Daniel LaRusso and Miyagi). Still, these movies are interesting to watch because they’re very well crafted.