Two Franchises Collide in the ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ Trailer

The Jackie Chan remake of “The Karate Kid” featured a fresh environment and fresh faces, and in China, it was referred to as “The Kung Fu Dream” since karate was not part of this adaptation. While the fundamental idea – a troubled adolescent learns martial arts from an elderly sage – remained constant, these two versions were quite different.

In “Karate Kid: Legends”, Chan’s character, Mr. Han, encounters Ralph Macchio’s Daniel La Russo, a prominent alumnus from the original Karate Kid series. Although Mr. Miyagi, who was played by Pat Morita (who passed away in 2005), mentored Daniel, there seems to be an obscure connection between Han and Miyagi as suggested by the film’s new trailer. Han requests Daniel to tutor one of his students, with the intention being somewhat unclear. The new Karate Kid, Ben Wang, will undergo training in both karate and kung fu to overcome the series’ typical challenges such as bullies and tournament combat.

Check out the trailer for the movie below, which features Ralph Macchio saying “Let’s create a Karate Kid.” (I’m guessing that’s precisely the line Sony execs used when approving the project for production.)

Over the past few years, “The Karate Kid” has been the basis for the hit Netflix series “Cobra Kai”, a spin-off/sequel starring Macchio and numerous characters from “The Karate Kid”, set in modern times following the events of the original film trilogy. The latest trailer for “Legends” seems to focus solely on Macchio, suggesting that he is the only character from “Cobra Kai” or “Karate Kid” who will appear in this movie, which could be a letdown for some fans (it’s possible that Sony is holding back on revealing any cameos or small roles from “Cobra Kai” characters at this time).

Here is the film’s official synopsis:

Karate Kid Legends: A New Adventure with Timeless Martial Arts Masters
In this fresh tale filled with action and emotion, the legendary masters of a cherished film franchise’s martial arts come together. A young kung fu prodigy named Li Fong (Ben Wang) moves to bustling New York City with his mom to join an elite school. He finds comfort in a new friendship with a classmate and her father, but this tranquility is shattered when he catches the eye of a fierce local karate champion. To protect himself, Li decides to compete in the ultimate karate tournament. With the guidance of his kung fu mentor, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), and the esteemed Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Li combines their distinctive martial arts techniques to prepare for an unforgettable showdown in the world of martial arts.

Karate Kid: Legends is scheduled to open in theaters on May 30.

12 Pairs of Wildly Different Movies With the Exact Same Title

Bug (1975) / Bug (2006)

In contrast, only one of these two movies revolves around real insects, while both portray characters who have secluded themselves due to their paranoia. The 1975 film titled “Bug,” directed by Jeannot Szwarc who is known for ‘Jaws 2’ and ‘Supergirl,’ centers on a scientist who crosses pyrotechnic insects with cockroaches, leading to the creation of a smart hybrid species of super-cockroaches that can communicate with humans. The less popular 2006 movie, “Bug,” directed by William Friedkin, follows the story of a despondent waitress who becomes involved with a Gulf War veteran who believes he’s being invaded or ‘bugged’ by invisible insects as part of a U.S government experiment. It remains uncertain what would have happened if this man had encountered the super-roaches from the 1975 Bug movie.

Crash (1996) / Crash (2004)

The contrast between the two films titled ‘Crash’ is frequently noted, as one is notoriously one of the poorest films to win an Oscar and the other is a renowned body horror masterpiece. Although they share the common theme of car crashes, their approaches to integrating this element into their narratives are vastly distinct. The 1996 film ‘Crash’, directed by David Cronenberg, centers around a man who becomes entangled with an unusual group of individuals who find sexual excitement in car accidents and injuries, gradually leading him into increasingly delusional fantasies. In contrast, the 2004 ‘Crash’ – winner of that year’s Best Picture Oscar – overtly explores racial and social frictions in contemporary Los Angeles through a network of interconnected characters who repeatedly encounter each other, both within and outside their vehicles.

Crimes of the Future (1970) / Crimes of the Future (2022)

Here’s another instance of David Cronenberg’s filmmaking, where he reuses a title from one of his own movies for an entirely different production. The first “Crimes of the Future,” released in 1970, is set in a world where all sexually mature women have perished due to a plague linked to cosmetic products, and follows a group of men as they descend into madness living in an all-male society. In contrast, his second film with

Deep Blue Sea (1999) / The Deep Blue Sea (2011)

In the realm of cinema, I’ve found myself drawn to two distinct films that offer a striking contrast. The first is a poignant period drama, “The Deep Blue Sea” (2011), where I find myself immersed in the tragic tale of a woman, wife to a High Court judge, who becomes entangled in an affair with a haunted RAF pilot, still grappling with the psychological aftermath of World War II.

On the other hand, there’s the nail-biting thriller about a marine research station under attack by genetically altered sharks. This isn’t your typical ’90s action-packed sci-fi like “Deep Blue Sea” (1999), but rather a chilling tale of survival against the odds.

It’s intriguing to ponder what would happen if these two films were to swap their casts. Imagine Tom Hiddleston and Rachel Weisz, masters of dramatic intensity, plunged into the heart of a shark-infested ocean, or Thomas Jane and Saffron Burrows donning posh English accents in a tragic love story set against the backdrop of post-war England. Now, that would be quite a spectacle to behold!

The Host (2006) / The Host (2013)

Everything was going smoothly for the genetically altered river creature in Bong Joon Ho’s movie “The Host” until the arrival of the mind-controlling alien invaders from Andrew Niccol’s “The Host”. While the 2006 version is a sociopolitical satire that focuses on marginalized citizens dealing with a government-induced cover-up involving a massive beast born in a chemical waste site, the 2013 version revolves around a romantic entanglement between a human girl, her boyfriend, an alien controlling her mind who has feelings for another boy, all inspired by a book written by Stephenie Meyer, author of “Twilight”.

The Hunt (2012) / The Hunt (2020)

In two distinct genres – a social drama and a social satire – both films titled “The Hunt” tackle sensitive themes but offer contrasting perspectives. The 2012 movie is a Danish drama featuring Mads Mikkelsen as a divorced kindergarten teacher, who becomes the target of his small town after unfounded allegations of child abuse surface in his class. Conversely, the 2020 film is an American black comedy that reimagines “The Most Dangerous Game,” portraying a group of wealthy individuals who abduct commoners for sport, hunting them on a manor’s grounds. The first movie was praised for its nuanced approach to its complex subject matter and Mikkelsen won the Best Actor award at Cannes. The second film faced challenges with its release due to the 2020 lockdown, and left audiences puzzled by its ambiguous political narrative.

Inside Out (1975) / Inside Out (1986) / Inside Out (2005) / Inside Out (2011) / Inside Out (2015)

Many people find Pixar’s “Inside Out,” a movie depicting emotions living inside a young girl’s mind dealing with depression and growing up, to be the most well-known film under that title. However, there are four other movies sharing

Kicking and Screaming (1995) / Kicking and Screaming (2005)

In 1995, Noah Baumbach made his directorial debut with the film “Kicking and Screaming,” which showcases a group of college graduates struggling to adapt to adult life in a small town. Conversely, the 2005 movie, also titled “Kicking and Screaming,” is a hilarious soccer-themed comedy starring Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall as father and son, who use their sons’ teams to settle personal disputes. For a brief period, it was quite easy to confuse the two movies when renting at your local Blockbuster without specifying which one you wanted.

Leviathan (1989) / Leviathan (2014)

In the 1980s, it seemed like there was an influx of movies that depicted creatures or extraterrestrials emerging from the deep sea. One such movie was “Leviathan,” released in 1989, a horror film set underwater where a group of geologists encounter a massive sea creature while exploring deep beneath the ocean. Contrastingly, the Russian crime drama “Leviathan” from 2014 tells a modern retelling of the Book of Job, focusing on a car mechanic who experiences a series of misfortunes that lead to him losing his family and home. It’s worth mentioning that there is also a 2012 documentary titled “Leviathan” which explores the North American fishing industry.

Possession (1981) / Possession (2002) / Possession (2009)

Fans of horror should recognize at least one “Possession” from the list: the 1981 psychodrama “Possession,” directed by Andrzej Żuławski, featuring Sam Neill as a spy and Isabelle Adjani as his troubled spouse, alongside a truly chilling demon. The 2002 film “Possession” stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart and is adapted from A.S. Byatt’s novel about two scholars uncovering a hidden romance between two Victorian-era poets. Lastly, the 2009 remake of “Possession” has Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lee Pace, where they play roles based on a South Korean psychological thriller about two brothers who seem to have traded bodies following a car crash.

Safe (1995) / Safe (2012)

Here are two distinct interpretations of the film “Safe,” with the 1995 version directed by Todd Haynes being a brooding psychological drama featuring Julianne Moore as a housewife suffering from an enigmatic illness she attributes to her surroundings, who subsequently relocates to a facility for individuals with similar “environmental illnesses.” In contrast, the 2012 adaptation stars Jason Statham as a former police officer safeguarding a talented young girl who becomes a target of the Russian mafia, the Chinese triads, and corrupt New York Police Department officers.

Spiral (2000) / Spiral (2021)

In 2000, a chilling adaptation of the horror manga “Uzumaki” by Junji Ito, known as “Spiral” in English-speaking countries, hit the screens. This story revolves around a town whose inhabitants develop an unhealthy fascination with spirals that grows so intense it drives them to commit suicide in spiral-themed manners.

Fast forward to 2021, there’s another film titled “Spiral: From the Book of Saw,” which isn’t connected to the previous one. This movie serves as both a sequel and spinoff from the “Saw” series, featuring comedian Chris Rock as a detective investigating a serial killer who imitates the methods of the infamous Jigsaw character.

2025-04-01 17:24