The Karate Kid 6’s Director Explains How It’s Being Made Like An ‘Early Jackie Chan Film,’ And I’m Loving This Approach

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I’m really looking forward to the upcoming movie “Karate Kid: Legends,” which is scheduled for release at the end of May in 2025. The director, Jonathan Entwistle, has hinted at the continuation of the storyline before, and now he’s giving us more tantalizing insights. This time, he shared some intriguing details about how this new film will draw inspiration from early Jackie Chan work. In a cinema landscape dominated by CGI-heavy action sequences and epic superhero battles, I can’t wait to see the influence of practical martial arts make a comeback in Hollywood.

Entwistle delved deep into the details of Karate Kid 6 with Empire magazine. They discussed numerous topics, but a notable part of their conversation revolved around Jackie Chan and his distinctive martial arts techniques. The upcoming title draws heavy inspiration from Jackie Chan’s early career and employs a signature filming style reminiscent of the Hong Kong actor. The director of Stranger Things spin-off series, I Am Not Okay with This, expressed:

Day after day, Ben was rigorously practicing with the Chinese acrobat troupe. His aim was to emulate the martial arts style seen in early Jackie Chan films for our movie, which was a goal we worked tirelessly to achieve. We incorporated plenty of traditional Hong Kong aerial techniques.

From my perspective, Legends have become even more captivating to me. It’s fascinating to learn that they drew inspiration from some well-known classics and that young actor Ben Wang has jumped on board for rigorous training. This combination is quite intriguing. Several of Jackie Chan’s finest films, which highlight the impact of combat choreography, are definitely worth watching. With Entwistle’s assurance, these action sequences in upcoming projects promise to be nothing short of spectacular. After all, coordinating any action scene involves a multitude of details, but hearing about the team’s extensive training makes me eager for an impressive viewing experience.

Based on the brief glimpse at kung fu, karate, and their fusion in the first trailer for Karate Kid 6, the idea of returning to this series seems intriguing (and the second sneak peek from CinemaCon certainly is too). However, Jonathan Entwistle has shared that crafting one of these sequences is more involved than it appears at first glance. The training crew, together with Chan, emphasized the significance of considering why and how a staged fight should be ignited. The director explained that:

This version aims to convey the same message while maintaining clarity and flow in the language.

In a playful manner, the sequence of moves in the choreography is designed. Jackie and the team trained us to consider, ‘What’s the story behind this fight? Does he grab something from the ground and employ it?’ We’re accustomed to witnessing fights portrayed with heavy VFX and the style of fighting seen in Marvel films. For me, it was crucial to revive an on-camera martial arts approach instead.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m genuinely intrigued by the tantalizing glimpse we’ve been given of Karate Kid: Legends. The intensity and passion poured into it promise to make it a significant aspect of its narrative. In contrast to the numerous action-packed blockbusters with their advanced CGI and Marvel Cinematic Universe influences, this film seems poised to offer a refreshing departure. I can’t think of many contemporary movies that boast such bare-bones choreography, making it all the more enticing.

In summary, the upcoming partnership between Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso in guiding Li Fong (Ben Wang) becomes even more impressive considering the effort put into the fight scenes’ design. I have a hunch that the classic style will be appreciated by fans, including myself, who cherish the old Chan movies.

To explore more about the universe of the Karate Kid, you can stream the first three movies by subscribing to Hulu. Movie 4 is accessible through various Video on Demand (VOD) services, and movie 5 comes free when using Roku. If you’re interested in the spin-off series Cobra Kai, it’s available for streaming with a Netflix account.

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2025-04-09 23:37