'Karate' Remake Starts in China

No one wants to see a remake of The Karate Kid, but regardless of our heated feelings Will Smith is whoring out his son to play a new version of the iconic Ralph Maccio character. The unnecessary remake has changed the title to the more apporpriate name of "The Kung Fu Kid" and has Jackie Chan in a role similar to Mr. Miyagi now named Mr. Han. Variety reports the film kicked off it's production over the weekend in Beijing with a traditional ceremony that the Smith family and Jackie Chan atteneded. To read more about the ceremony scroll down...

Chan and Smith, along with Smith's parents and sister Willow, attended a traditional Chinese ceremony to mark the start of the shoot Saturday. Photos on China Film Group's movie news Web site show the Smith family and Chan holding incense sticks.

Will Smith - one of the film's producers - Chan, Zwart and others symbolically removed a piece of red cloth covering a movie camera, after which Smith gave Chan a hug, according to video posted on Chinese news Web site Sina.com.

I absolutely hate the idea of this remake from every angle I look at it. Thankfully all of the names have been changed from the original film as well as the location, so calling it a remake is a bit of a stretch. It is definately an update and has definately taken the main idea from The Karate Kid, but with Jaden Smith being only 11 yrs-old, this film should take on a life of it's own. Hopefully one day we wont even associate it as a Karate Kid remake. At least, that is what I keep telling myself. "The Kung Fu Kid" synopsis reads: Work pressures cause a single mother moves to China with her young son; in his new home, the boy embraces karate, taught to him by a master of the self-defense form. "The King Fu Kid" was scripted by Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) and is being directed by Harald Zwart (Pink Panther 2), which only further detracts any anticipation from the project. The film is set for a June 11th, 2010 release. Reluctantly, more news to follow on "The Kung Fu Kid" as it develops...

What say you? Are you interested in The Kung Fu Kid? Will you be able to handle Jaden Smith for a full movie? Strikeback...