Jaden Smith To Star In "Karate Kid" Remake

Will Smith's kids have been following in his footsteps, appearing in films and working red carpets, and now younger son Jaden is starring in a movie being made just for him: a remake of "Karate Kid."
Variety reports:

Columbia Pictures is back in the dojo with a new version of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid," which has been refashioned as a star vehicle for Jaden Smith.

The film will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Overbrook Entertainment's James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz. Will Smith, who is the 10-year-old actor's father, co-starred alongside Jaden in his feature debut, "The Pursuit of Happyness," which Overbrook and Escape Artists produced for Columbia.

The script is being written by Chris Murphy, and the film will shoot next year in Beijing and other cities. While the new film will be set in that exotic locale, it will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.

China Film Group Corp. will co-produce in China.

The younger Smith, who next stars in "The Day the Earth Stood Still," is a martial arts practitioner.

Smith has three children: son Trey for a first marriage and daughter Willow and Jaden with wife Jada Pinkett Smith.

Jaden, who turned 10 in July, wore his sunglasses at night this summer at premiere for "Kit Kittredge" and at "Hancock."

With sister Willow at "Hancock":

Comments

[IndependentJones]

It's nice to see disadvantaged youngsters like the children of movie-stars being given opportunities.

[seheart]

terrible. effing terrible. LEAVE OUR BELOVED CLASSICS ALONE!

[ImpalaSuperSport]

not original.

[cmarmonhalm]

I love Will Smith and his kids are adorable but some things need to be left alone and the Karate Kid is one of those things. I hate all of this...let­'s remake old movies. The '80s was great the way it was.

[GardenGnomes]

*applause* They can't remake this classic; they should just start a new franchise.

Classic details they can't touch:
1. Johnny and the Kobra Kai "give em a body bag, yeah!"
2. Karate Kid scoring a yellow classic car and Elizabeth Shue
3. Pat Morita
etc...

[happycat]

That kid has go too much attitude already. I doubt that his parents have ever said "NO" to him.

[plooger]

Saw a quick glimpse of him when his dad was on Oprah last week, and my first impression was similar.

[amistad]

Jealous?

[ebroadcast]

I'd be willing to bet that he's a little too big for his britches. The pose with his shades pretty much sums it up.

[Kitsuiko]

Oh no! Children sausily posing for pictures - certainly they're spoiled to death!

Dude, have you /seen/ any interviews with Jada or heard her talk about those kids? They get to act cute when they get pictures taken of them. At home, a hard head equals a hurt bottom for those two.

[phoenics]

There are many children who follow in their parents' famous footsteps.­.. Liza Minnelli, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Michael Douglas... the list goes on and on and on!

This really is no different.

I hope Jaden can come back down to earth though - he seems a bit smug, lol. But that's just kids.

I think Willow is gorgeous..­. so pretty.

[whiteboyblues]

Does Hollywood have any original ideas left?

[donorman]

My thoughts exactly.
it's bad enough they can think of anything new, they have to remake movies that seem like they were out not too long ago. (I'm showing my age)

[cmarmonhalm]

Apparently not...it really annoys me.

[plooger]

Hey, if it keeps WIll Smith busy and out of feature roles, I'm all for this.

[SaintRidley]

I wish my dad could buy me a movie to star in.

[ebroadcast]

Daddy, I want to learn how to fly a jet ... make a re-make of Top Gun for me... Now!

[PhronesisPoplicola]

Jada and Will Smith seem like fairly smart, centered people as far as celebrities go.

So I just don't grasp why they have created this vain, self-absorbed little kid and are sending him down a path EVERYBODY KNOWS will lead to serious personality and behavior problems.

I don't by the "he's just naturally funny" argument. It's a painful joke... and all it takes is a comparison of the innocence in the eyes of Willow... vs the raw egotism of this little Jaden. I'm sure it's a lot more complicated and the kid is a lot more grounded behind the scenes... but I can't fathom why on earth and sensible parents would be hyping their little son up into such a phenomenon.

There is nothing healthy about that.

[praxitas]

dont like the wife dont like the kids, tolerate the guy

[gd7277467]

No college fund for this kid !

Better to start a "Bail Fund" !

[MrsMAB]

You people are a bunch of haters. This kid is a natural comic like his dad. He likes to make people laugh. Did ya'll even see his first movie? He was awesome. Talented kid. Keep up the good work Will and Jada.

[PhronesisPoplicola]

It's not cool.
It's not cute.
It's not funny.

[amistad]

Neither are you.

[Yovovi]

1) I hate it when they turn kids into short adults. Let them enjoy their childhood and be kids -- not attend premiers, media press tours, award shows, fight with directors, etc.

2) Why remake the movie? I agree, why can't they come up with anything orginal? Plus Will Smith had such promise, and all he cares about now is commercial success, he has no orginal voice. He's pushing his kids to this too.

3) Ralph Macchio realistically played a 17-year old boy. This kid can't pull that off.

4) Why do I give a darn? I need some hobbies!

[davibaby]

yeah you do.. HAHAHAHA!!! good one!

[walk0nwalls]

Love the parents, ambivalent about the kid.

[DotMatrix]

Sure the kids is smug, but wouldn't you be? Let's give him a chance.

[piquet]

At $10 a ticket I would rather pay for natural talent. I'm sorry the kid doesn't rate that kind of "chance" His Pops...yes­. I'm not into charity for rich privileged children..­.sorry
Quite frankly I'm glad others have feel the way I do. I'm hoping with a "new attitude" in this country comes along a culture shift towards what is real talent and valuable. Rather than branding everything they think we'll eat.

[Yovovi]

Good point. I used to go to the movies all the time and I am more judicious with my $10 for tickets and $5 for a Diet Coke. For that same price -- plus $2-- I see all the movies I want on Netflix. A movie is an indulgence for me now -- I may see Austraila for the cinematography and it's cheaper than a $3K trip down under,. Also, my 21-inch sceen TV won't do it justice.

I saw Ted Turner last night on Letterman talk about Americans needing to be happy living within our means. For me, that means Netflix and no bad remake of The Karate Kid with a sunglass-w­earing-at-­night entitled son of a multi-millionaire.