Ben Wang Knapps to Star in Sony Film – The Hollywood Reporter

A new Karate Kid has been found.

Sony Pictures has cast Ben Wang, best known as the star of the Disney+ series American born Chineseto star in her latest installment of the upcoming martial arts franchise.

The selection of candidates follows a global search that saw thousands of entries from around the world, with 10,000 entries reported in just the first 24 hours. According to studio insiders, Wang gave an outstanding audition that demonstrated his deep connection to the character. He was also aided by his mastery of Mandarin and his superior skill in many forms of martial arts, including karate, Wing Chun/Kung Fu, Gumdo, Kempo, and Taekwondo. Some of these skills have already been demonstrated American born Chinese, The acclaimed adaptation of the acclaimed coming-of-age fantasy graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang that also starred Michelle Yeoh.

the new karate Kid There will be Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprising their famous characters from the past karate Kid films.

Plot details are being kept under wraps for Under a Bonsai Tree, but the new installment will move the story to the East Coast and focus on a teenager from China who finds strength and guidance through martial arts and his powerful but wise mentor (or maybe even two).

Jonathan Entwistle, known for his acclaimed and award-winning teen television dramas I’m not okay with this And The end of the fucking worldis directing the film, which has a script by Rob Lieber, whose credits include Sony peter rabbit And Disney Alexander and the terrible, terrible, not so good and so bad day.

Karen Rosenfelt produces.

Sony has scheduled the film to be released on December 13, 2024.

the karate Kid Released in 1984, the original film was an unexpected hit. It starred Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, a kid from Brooklyn who moves to California and finds himself an unlikely karate champion under the tutelage of Mr. Miyagi, an apartment handyman who is very skilled at karate. Miyagi was played by the late Pat Morita, who received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work.

The film began with three sequels – Macchio appeared in two of them, while Hilary Swank took over the title role in the 1994 outing – with the franchise having a resurgence in recent years thanks to YouTube and Netflix series. Cobra Kai. Sony also revived the title in 2010 with a remake that updated the story for more modern and international times, focusing on an American kid, played by Jaden Smith, who moves to Beijing and is mentored by a martial arts craftsman/master played by Chan.

The films have grossed more than $618 million globally over the past decades, while the series has received multiple Emmy nominations.

Wang can currently be seen in the role of V I mean girls Musical movie. He is repped by Stuart Talent, First Artists and Shrek Rose.