Remake News: Casting Mr. Miyagi and a Return to Eden

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:30:19 -0800

Two remake-related items making news today:

The makers of The Karate Kid remake have found their Mr. Miyagi in Jackie Chan.
The remake of East of Eden is really happening, as evidenced by the hiring of a director (Tom Hooper, who directed John Adams) and a screenwriter (Christopher Hampton, who wrote the Atonement screenplay).

Some thoughts:

My feelings about a remake of The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith aside, Mr. Miyagi is many things Jackie Chan isn't: Calm, reasonable, wise, deliberate. Jackie Chan is an entertaining guy but let's face it, he's totally ~~spazzy~~ high energy. I mean, I might actually die of laughter if I find myself in a movie theater watching Jackie Chan seriously delivering the line, "Wax on. Wax off."
And East of Eden. I really like the book and I understand why a director would want to try his hand at bringing this tale to the big screen (again), but the original version, starring the beautiful James Dean, is pretty perfect. It's a little sad but totally expected from Hollywood at this point.

What do you think of this news? Disappointing? Exciting? A little of both?

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Jaden Smith = The Next Karate Kid?

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:30:32 -0800

We all know that Hollywood is extremely remake-happy these days, so I'm not even going to resist the Karate Kid remake news because it was probably bound to happen, right? Now moving onto the casting: Jaden Smith is first in line to play the lead role, the Kid himself, in a new version of the 1984 pop culture staple. Variety has more info:

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.

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

That little Jaden Smith is so adorable. Thoughts on the next Karate Kid? Are you annoyed this is being remade at all? If it has to happen, is Jaden a good fit?

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