Jackie Chan And Ralph Macchio Team Up For New ‘Karate Kid’ Movie, Seek Next Young Star For Cast

There’s going to be a new “Karate Kid” in town.

Actors Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, who both starred in versions of the “Karate Kid” film franchise, are teaming up for the next installment. They’re also looking for a new child star to take on the role in the upcoming movie. 

Not many details are being shared about the latest “Karate Kid” franchise installment other than the fact that it’s being released by Sony Pictures and will be made with director Jonathan Entwistle and writer Rob Lieber. It has a scheduled release date of December 13, 2024, per Variety.

Macchio will reprise his role as Daniel LaRusso, made famous by the original “Karate Kid” film trilogy that began in 1984. Chan will once again play Mr. Han, a character based on Mr. Miyagi. 

Netflix revisited the storyline with its series “Cobra Kai,” which Macchio also starred in. The martial arts comedy-drama will conclude with its sixth season.

Chan and Macchio made the announcement about the new “Karate Kid” movie on YouTube while simultaneously announcing a global casting search for a new karate kid to lead the movie. Hopeful young actors can submit audition tapes to KarateKidCasting.com, they said.

“Let’s wax on, wax off,” Macchio says during the announcement. Both stars say they’re “very excited” for the new installment.

“Karate Kid” starred Macchio as a teenager named Daniel who trained with sensei Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) to learn how to defend himself from kids who were bullying him. Academy Award-winner Chan starred as the Miyagi figure, Mr. Han, in the “Karate Kid” reboot with Jaden Smith, released in 2010.

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Macchio previously discussed how he’s never turned away from the biggest film of his career. “I never didn’t want to talk about that movie,” he said of “Karate Kid” during a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “That’s ridiculous. I don’t know why actors don’t want to talk about their biggest hits, even if it’s because they’re trying to do something new now.”

He continued, “For me, Daniel LaRusso has been such an inspiration to people of all ages. People come up to me with tears in their eyes, telling me how they watched the movie with their dad or their mom, or they tell me that they wish they had a Mr. Miyagi in their life. Moving forward, I just don’t want to take any of these moments for granted. I may not have done that 15 or 20 years ago. So, my legacy is to stop and really embrace all of that.”