Cobra Kai had introduced to us a new generation of Karate Kids with Xolo Mariduena, but now Sony is ready to once again bring the franchise to a new generation of kids, and they’ve found their new “Daniel-san”.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ben Wang, who is the star of Disney+’s American Born Chinese is going to star in the next Karate Kid movie with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprising their roles from their respective Karate Kid franchises.
As for Wang, he managed to stand out from thousands of entries which came from around the world, and he was said to have had a great audition that showed some deep connection to his character. It also helps that he’s already trained in several forms of martial arts including kung fu, taekwando, and karate, and he’s also fluent in Mandarin.
We don’t have a full breakdown of the story yet, but it’s said that the new Karate Kid will be taking place in the East Coast this time, and Wang will be playing a teen from China who will find their direction via the discipline of martial arts from one or two senseis.
Personally, I’m just hoping we get some kind of reference to Cobra Kai, because that show is mainly responsible for rejuvenating interest in the franchise for the past few years. Not only did they manage to introduce some new kids, but they also managed to toe the line with nostalgia that didn’t feel too pander-y to fans.
The next Karate Kid movie is expected to release in theaters Dec. 13, 2024.
