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Jaden Smith set for 'Karate Kid' redo


Ale

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Sweep the leg! For the first time this summer a movie actually exceeded expectations at the box office. The Karate Kid — which tracking had opening in the highs 20s/low 30s range — grossed $19 million on Friday alone and could wind up with upwards of $52 million by Sunday night. Will Smith is so famous that even his kid can front a blockbuster. The other ’80s nostalgia piece of the weekend, The A-Team, detonated $9.5 million on Friday and should hit just under $27 million for the three days, good for second place. Is that disappointing? Slightly. But not really considering expectations were in that range. Let’s just say the plan sorta came together and leave it at that. The top-five after the jump.

1. THE KARATE KID: $19,000,000 (new)
2. THE A-TEAM: $9,500,000 (new)
3. SHREK FOREVER AFTER: $4,500,000 ($198,700,000)
4. GET HIM TO THE GREEK: $3,200,000 ($29,600,000)
5. KILLERS: $2,600,000 ($24,800,000)

WOW! :shocked:

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Jaden/Jackie Interview



Jackie Chan still a kid at 56

LOS ANGELES—-JACKIE CHAN is 56, but he’s young in spirit. When Jackie’s manager told him that his friend, actor and producer, Will Smith, offered him to be in an update of “The Karate Kid,” the Hong Kong star thought for a minute that he would play the “kid” title role.

Jackie, smiling and animated as usual in our latest encounter, recalled, “I said, ‘Good. Am I the karate kid?’ My manager said, ‘No, no, no. You’re the teacher.’ Honestly, sometimes I forget how old I am.” We believe him. Ever friendly and energetic, Jackie is youthful in his demeanor.

Versatile

“I really forget my age,” said the versatile Jackie, who’s also a director, stunt choreographer, martial arts hero, singer and producer. To Jaden Smith, Will’s son who is the “kid” in the update of the 1980s hit, Jackie is the “master.”

Jackie stood up (as he did several times during our interview to demonstrate something) and pretended to climb up. Then, he said, “Sometimes, when I’m standing somewhere high, my students try to catch me, in case I fall (he showed how they spread their arms). They say, ‘Careful.’ I’m not that old, but I forget. Then, I realize, wow, I’m 50-something already. Sometimes, I want to be young again. But, I’m happy.” And, with those words, he broke into hip-hop moves he learned from Jaden.

In turn, Jaden learned quite a few stunts from his master. “When I teach Jaden, he learns everything so fast,” Jackie revealed. “I taught him how to do the flip. Jaden asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I said to him, ‘Trust me. Lie down, boom! Okay, do that too.’ He’s a young kid—he’s a quick learner.”

In narrating how he was cast in “The Karate Kid,” which was coproduced by Will and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jackie brought up what he considered a curious Hollywood habit. “I remember a few years ago, I was in Japan,” he said. “I was eating in a restaurant. Somebody told me, ‘You know who’s outside? Will.’ So, I went out and saw Will. He said to me, ‘We should make a movie.’ I replied, ‘Okay, let’s do it.’”

He added, “In Hollywood, so many people told me in the last 10 years, ‘Let’s do a movie
together.’ It never happened. Slowly, I learned the American way. So, I just go, ‘Okay, bye bye.’ Then, I turn around.”

“But, in Will’s case, one year later, my manager got a call from him,” he recalled. “Will wanted me to do ‘The Karate Kid.’”

After months of filming in China, the movie opens this weekend in the US, the Philippines and other countries. The moviegoing public will decide whether “The Karate Kid” is a worthy update of the blockbuster that starred Ralph Macchio and the late Pat Morita.

When we told Jackie that Jaden, 11, said in a separate interview that his favorite Jackie Chan movie is “Drunken Master,” he reacted by saying, “I really like ‘Drunken Master 2.’ Why? Because I corrected something there. When I was young, I didn’t know a lot. ‘Drunken Master’ seemed to tell children, ‘The more I drink, the more I can fight.’ I thought, ‘No, it’s the wrong message.’ How can you teach children to drink and fight? I did ‘Drunken Master 2’ with the message, ‘Don’t drink, don’t fight.’ That made me happy. I corrected myself. I’m still learning. I know there are many children watching my movies, so I have to be careful.”

Importance

Jackie also shared that he learned the importance of the story in movies. “The story should be first in importance,” he said. “Not like in the old days. Thirty years ago, action was first. We didn’t care about quality or the script. Now, it’s different. I found that out after watching ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’—the whole movie is a drama, but suddenly, there was one punch in the bar. I said, ‘Wow.’ Everyone was clapping. In my old movies, I fought for half an hour and nobody clapped. The audience got tired seeing me still fighting. I already got 200 kicks, and I was still standing. But, in ‘An Officer,’ there was just one punch and, boom! I realized how important the story was, and how to mix it with action to make it work.”

Hollywood may have been slow to embrace Jackie’s trademark action style. But, the star eagerly recalled the day when he realized he was making an impact on American action movies: “I remember when I saw Sylvester Stallone,” Jackie stated. “He said, ‘Hi Jackie. Come to my trailer. Look at this.’” Jackie demonstrated how Sylvester pointed at a video monitor. “Stallone told me, ‘When we run out of ideas, we just look at your video.’ That made me so proud!”

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20100611-275063/Jackie-Chan-still-a-kid-at-56 Edited by Ale
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So.... I saw Karate Kid last night... and it was an awesome movie!

The action was excellent, the acting was on point, the scenery and vistas were amazing, and the overall story was a great update of the 1984 version. Jalen was wonderful and I haven't seen Jackie this good in years, if ever.

Jalen is extremely talented, no question about it... and it's obvious that he's a hard worker and has the makings of a great actor. He displayed a lot of emotional range and he made the character and his struggles very believable. People laughed, clapped, cheered and some even cried throughout the movie, and especially at the end.

After the movie, my girlfriend went to the rest room and another woman who had seen the movie struck up conversation with her about how great it was, going as far as saying that she thought it was better and more engaging than the original. I'll say this... I was born in the mid 80s, so I'm definitely a child of the 90s... The original Karate Kid was one of my favorites growing up (I've always loved martial arts movies), but I can look back at it without the nostalgia and other emotional connections of someone who grew up in the 80s... I have no problem with someone saying that the 2010 version is better than the original, and I'd certainly say that it's on par.

One of the more salient developments in this retelling is that it seems that Dre actually grows as a person throughout the movie. I never got the sense that Daniel grew in the original. This makes for a better story...

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'The Karate Kid' special screening in New York has Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Will Smith

June 11, 2010 -- Last night, a special screening of 'The Karate Kid' was held in New York. The Will and Jada Smith Foundation for city workers in New York had an opportunity to see the film and even catch a glimpse of the stars.

An unique opportunity in itself, movie premieres usually consider of a more star studded approach, however, with the Los Angeles premiere already completed, there wasn't any reason not to take the film to the people.

http://www.examiner.com/x-21681-Celebrity-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m6d11-The-Karate-Kid-special-screening-in-New-York-has-Jackie-Chan-Jaden-Smith-Will-Smith-PHOTOS

-----

Jaden and Jackie's interviews on 'The View' and '106 & Park' haven't been posted yet. They are on Youtube, but in bad quality.

Edited by Ale
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Great quote...

"It's just an unmitigated grand slam hit," said Bruer, who also worked on distribution for the 1984 version. "I loved the original `Karate Kid,' but they took this beloved title, and they made it relevant, fresh and absolutely exciting."
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I must say, I wasn't too excited about the idea of this when we 1st heard it. I talked to someone (who I don't even know) who saw the movie (who was at least my age) and she said she loved the movie...maybe even more than the original!! Congratz 2 Jaden and crew. I think I'm gonna see this in the theaters.

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Jaden Smith Shows Off His Abs

He's got the #1 movie in America, and he has a kiddie six-pack to boot.

'Karate Kid' Jaden Smith is promoting the movie in China, where it filmed, with both costar Jackie Chan and his parents Will and Jada, who produced it.

Sister Willow is also along for the ride.

At one point at the Beijing premiere Jaden, 11, lifted his shirt to show off his muscles.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/16/jaden-smith-shows-off-his_n_613963.html

Edited by Ale
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