Ben Wang Joins Karate Kid Franchise As The First Asian American

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Last Updated:May 29, 2025, 17:21 IST

Ben Wang joins forces with the legends Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio for the latest Karate Kid: Legends.

Ben Wang plays Li Fong, a young kung fu prodigy. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

With elements from the Karate Kid beingness and a scoop from the Netflix bid Cobra Kai, the effect is the franchise continuation with Karate Kid: Legends. Legends Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are reprising their beloved characters arsenic Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso, portion Ben Wang comes arsenic a caller summation arsenic Li Fong, a young kung fu prodigy who is traumatised aft witnessing the execution of his elder brother.

With Li Fung’s parent disapproving of his wishes to proceed studying martial arts, the household abruptly moves to New York City with 1 large caller regularisation for Li—no fighting. But arsenic the saying goes, “rules are meant to beryllium broken." Shortly aft arriving, Li’s budding romance with the girl of the pizza store proprietor landed him successful the ring, but not arsenic a student. Yes, the Karate Kid steps into the shoes of a teacher, astatine slightest for a while, earlier Mr Han shows up.

First Asian American ‘Kid’

While the movie has already stirred a batch of buzz among fans, different absorbing information comes with Ben Wang becoming the franchise’s archetypal Asian American “Kid." Speaking to the Associated Press, Wang said, “At archetypal I didn’t adjacent deliberation astir that. That feels similar a precise chill and really privileged presumption that I get to beryllium in." Wang besides noted however the casting happened successful a “world wherever that’s mean enough."

Prior to this, successful the archetypal Karate Kid film, which came retired implicit 40 years ago, Pat Morita was the lone main Asian American formed member.

Karate Kid: Legends

The movie opened to a decent $25 cardinal implicit the weekend, bringing unneurotic Jackie Chan and Daniel LaRusso. Karate Kid: Legends builds connected the classical underdog model of the archetypal 1984 film, bringing caller amusive with aged and caller faces. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, the movie unites the archetypal trilogy’s Daniel LaRusso with the 2010 Karate Kid’s martial arts master, Mr Han. Together, they volition bid the caller “Kid" to bushed a bully.

Interestingly, the publication besides ties unneurotic LaRusso and Han’s stories with a past that unites the training, with 1 trained successful karate and the different successful kung fu.

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