Summary
- Ben Wang’s casting in the new Karate Kid film adds to the hype and excitement surrounding the action-packed movie.
- Wang’s extensive martial arts background showcases his skills in various disciplines, ensuring top-notch fight scenes.
- Expect a perfect blend of karate and kung fu in the film as Wang’s character receives training from both Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han.
The casting choice for the titular character in 2024’s The Karate Kid is promising news for the movie’s action. Fresh off of his starring role in Disney+’s recently canceled American Born Chinese show, Ben Wang has been cast in the upcoming Karate Kid film. The new movie is set to be the sixth big-screen installment in The Karate Kid franchise.
The addition of Ben Wang adds a third name to a cast that already included Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan. From the looks of things, the original Karate Kid himself, Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso will be teaming up with Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han, who served as the 2010 remake’s interpretation of Mr. Miyagi. The story will reportedly take place on the East Coast and center around Ben Wang’s teenage character, who is likely to receive tutelage from the two Karate Kid heroes.
The Karate Kid Sequel’s New Star Is Great News For The Martial Arts Action
With one of the most celebrated martial arts stars of all time in Jackie Chan co-leading the film, there was already a great deal to be excited about in terms of the action, but the actor chosen for its teen hero adds even more to the hype. According to Variety, Ben Wang “is skilled across many forms of martial arts, including Karate, Wing Chun/Kung Fu, Gumdo, Kempo and Taekwando.” The 24-year-old actor’s incredibly diverse martial arts background is a positive indicator of what Wang will bring to the table when The Karate Kid arrives on the big screen.
An actor with a great deal of martial arts experience appearing in a Karate Kid movie isn’t unprecedented, but it’s typically not an expectation of the actor playing the movie’s teenage hero. Ralph Macchio and Hilary Swank, who both held in this role in the past, weren’t martial artists. Jaden Smith had taken karate for years, but Wang’s wide repertoire of martial arts disciplines is impressive on another level, and a good sign that the fights with both the adult and the teenage characters will be top-notch action sequences. Having actors well-trained in martial arts on board will naturally make it easier to film intense fight scenes.
What Martial Arts Style Will The Karate Kid’s New Hero Use?
Additionally, Wang’s martial arts experience provides a hint at what style of fighting he’ll employ in the film. While karate may seem like the obvious answer to this question, it’s more likely that karate is only part of the equation. It shouldn’t be forgotten that in spite of the title, The Karate Kid’s Mr. Han was a kung fu master. Daniel, on the other hand, is a practitioner of karate. Considering that Ben Wang is expected to be trained by both characters, it stands to reason that his fighting style in 2024’s The Karate Kid will represent a perfect blend of karate and kung fu. As someone who knows both, Wang is in an excellent position to demonstrate this aspect of the story.
Source: Variety
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
