(KTLA) – Despite appearing in separate “Karate Kid” films (made decades apart), Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan are teaming up to help find the star of the next installment.
Macchio and Chan made the announcement Tuesday in a YouTube video posted to the Sony Pictures Entertainment account.
“The global search for the star of our new film starts right now,” Macchio explained. “So let’s ‘wax on, wax off’ everybody,” he added, referring to a line from the original trilogy of films.
“You mean, ‘jacket on, jacket off, hang it up,'” Chan chimed in, making reference to a similar line from his 2010 installment.
“Maybe the new ‘Karate Kid’ will have to do it all,” Macchio continued.
The open casting call is currently posted on Sony’s website. According to the site, producers are looking for an actor aged 15 through 17 to “portray Chinese or mixed-race Chinese.” The actor must speak “fluent English,” with bonus points for “conversational” Mandarin.
No acting experience is required, but “martial arts movements, gymnastics and/or dance experience is a strong plus.”
Shooting will take place between March 2024 to June 2024, the site indicated. Interested parties can contact KarateKidCasting@sony.com.
The new film is set to be released on Dec. 13, 2024, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The outlet says the film’s plot will concern a teenager from China who moves to the East Coast and “finds strength and direction via martial arts and a tough but wise mentor.”
Ralph Macchio will also be reprising his role as Daniel LaRusso, a character who appeared in the original ’80s trilogy as well as Netflix’s “Cobra Kai.” Jackie Chan will reprise his role as Mr. Han from the 2010 reboot.
The “Karate Kid” franchise also spawned a fifth movie, 1994’s “The Next Karate Kid,” starring future Oscar-winner Hilary Swank in a lead role opposite Pat Morita.
