Legends Will Break New Ground For The Franchise, Star Says

Karate Kid: Legends star Ben Wang says that the stunt work in the franchise’s next film will surpass anything that has gone before it. Set to arrive in US theaters on May 30, the latest addition to the long-running martial arts franchise will serve to join the continuity of the original Karate Kid movies with the 2010 reboot starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith. In addition to Chan reprising his role as Kung Fu master Mr. Han, the Karate Kids: Legends cast also sees Ralph Macchio return as Daniel LaRusso, with both men serving as mentors to Wang’s Li Fong.

Speaking with Empire ahead of the Karate Kid: Legends US release, Wang revealed how this latest movie will distinguish itself from the previous franchise entries. Explaining that the Chinese stunt team responsible for the movie’s fight choreography knows how to shoot action in the style familiar to fans of Hong Kong and Chinese cinema, the movie’s action sequences would be different to the Western-based action that underpinned earlier films. Check out his comments below:

So I knew that the action would be unlike that of any other Karate Kid film, and unlike most other action films in the West, because it’s a Chinese stunt team: these guys know how to shoot action in that Hong Kong, Chinese cinematic way. I grew up watching those movies. So I wanted to do that stuff – I wanted to wrap a wire around my waist and get yanked through a wall. And I did. It was awesome!

Wang also went on to suggest that while he was excited to participate in the movie’s action sequences, the prospect of fighting Chan after only a month and a half of training was particularly daunting, joking that he nearly soiled himself. Check out his final comments below:

Yeah man, I was shitting my pants. But… how could you not? On a month-and-a-half of training, I go fight Jackie Chan. You’re gonna shit your pants. But that’s okay

It Is Still Important That The Fight Scenes Do Not Overpower The Story

This latest entry in the Karate Kid franchise finds itself in a very different position to the one that 2010’s reboot faced on its own release. When Chan’s Mr. Han was first introduced as the modern counterpart of Pat Morita’s beloved Mr. Miyagi, it had been 16 years since audiences since the franchise’s previous movie, namely Hillary Swank’s The Next Karate Kid. However, with Netflix’s Cobra Kai only just having recently wrapped up its exceedingly popular streaming run, Karate Kid: Legends will need to work hard to maintain the goodwill and nostalgic appeal generated by the sequel show.

With so much of Cobra Kai’s success built on its deep reverence for the franchise’s lore and existing characters, rather than its fight scenes, the new movie’s stunt work will only be one ingredient in a much larger mix..

Wang’s assertion that the movie’s action sequences will surpass anything audiences have seen previously may seem like a good start, however it is important that the latest sequel not stray too far from the established tropes and traditions of the earlier films. With so much of Cobra Kai’s success built on its deep reverence for the franchise’s lore and existing characters, rather than its fight scenes, the new movie’s stunt work will only be one ingredient in a much larger mix that determines whether the franchise can forge a successful return to the big screen.

Our Take On Karate Kid: Legends’ Use of Chinese-Inspired Stunt Work

The Franchise Has Always Been About Its Characters’ Journeys Rather Than Martial Arts

While martial arts have always been at the heart of the Karate Kid franchise, they have often been used more as a vehicle to propel the various stories and characters forward, rather than any serious attempt to primarily frame the films as action movies. In a world where modern Western audiences are becoming increasingly exposed to the influences of other cinematic traditions and styles of action, Karate Kid: Legends may certainly benefit from a more energetic style of fight choreography, but Cobra Kai has already proven that the franchise’s true heart lies in its characters’ respective journeys.

Source: Empire