Over forty years on, the Karate Kid franchise continues to grow and draw in new audiences, with its latest outing, Karate Kid: Legends, bringing together characters from across each iteration of the series. Released on May 28, you can book to watch Karate Kid: Legends at Cineworld now.
Want a taster of this inspirational tale? We sat down and talked to Ralph Macchio, the original Karate Kid from 1984, and the franchise’s latest prodigy, Ben Wang. Here are the 5 key takeaways from our interview.
BOOK KARATE KID: LEGENDS TICKETS
It’s been on the job training for Ralph Macchio who has received a black belt in karate
Get this man his apprenticeship certificate, because for the last forty years – from the original 80s Karate Kid movies to his time on Cobra Kai – Ralph Macchio has finally earned his black belt in karate. Not only is this just a really cool achievement in itself, it’s a testament to both the impact of the franchise on Macchio’s career and, in turn, how much it means to him to have committed so much of himself to the martial arts practice. It also symbolises what both Macchio and Ben Wang really love about the movies.
Anyone can be a karate kid
When asked what he loved most about the Karate Kid franchise, Ben Wang said it's the archetype of the karate kid that remains true throughout the franchise, which he was introduced to at eight years old when watching the 2010 The Karate Kid reboot. Anyone can be a karate kid, as long as you work hard and dedicate yourself to learning. Hence why it’s so magical that Macchio has now earned his black belt.
Macchio added that it was the sense of community in cheering on the underdog and that, in many ways, Karate Kid connects on a universal level outside of the brilliant stunts and action taking place. Touching on stories of single parenting, overcoming loss, and being a fish out of water as the new kid in town, these are all very real and true experiences that stand up amongst the fun adventure aspects of the film.
Macchio and Wang compared Jackie Chan to Willy Wonka when talking about working with him
He’s the man, the myth, the legend. He’s Jackie Chan and he also stars in Karate Kid: Legends, making this amalgamation of the franchise even more brilliant. But what was it like working with him?
Well, Macchio described Chan’s enthusiasm as being like “a kid in a candy store”, with Wang following up that he’s the “master of making candy”, with the two clarifying he’s essentially the Willy Wonka of what he does: exceptional stunts and knowledge for the craft.
Ben Wang is walking in Chan’s footsteps as as a stuntman
It’s well reported that Ben Wang did a lot of his stunts for the film, including the climactic fight sequence at the Five Boroughs Tournament atop a skyscraper in New York City. When we asked about the rigorous training regime he must have gone through to prepare for the stunts, Wang said it was actually just a whole lot of squats.
“It’s not that interesting to talk about, because it’s just squats for a month, two months. The director was really adamant in that he wanted me to do as much as I possibly could.”
Be right back, tweaking our gym programme to add more squats.
Karate Kid: Legends is a must-see on the big screen
With Karate Kid: Legends available to watch in a number of special formats, including 4DX, Ben Wang said heading to the cinema to watch an adventure movie like Karate Kid: Legends “gives you the permission to fall into the story and it really takes you on a ride. There’s certain types of films that are meant for a theatre.”
Couldn’t have put it better ourselves!
Screening now at Cineworld’s around the UK, book your tickets before its theatrical release comes to an end and watch the full interview below.
BOOK KARATE KID: LEGENDS TICKETS
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