Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio took the stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas with an extended look at Karate Kid: Legends from Sony Pictures, out May 30.
The film features young Wang with the legendary Jackie Chan and Macchio, the original Karate Kid.
After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
In the three scenes: Mr. Han pays Li a surprise visit to keep him on his toes; then, Chan is in California, convincing a reluctant Sensei LaRusso to come to New York and help. In the third scene, they’re both in New York working with Li. “Two branches, one tree” says Wang.
The official trailer dropped in December after a first look at New York Comic Con.
Sony’s Columbia Pictures film is helmed by Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World), with a script by Rob Lieber. Producing is Karen Rosenfelt, with executive producers Jenny Hinkey and Macchio.
In addition to Wang, Chan and Macchio, the cast includes Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley and Ming-Na Wen.
The film marks the sixth installment within the franchise, following 2010’s The Karate Kid with Jaden Smith as the titular child. The events of the forthcoming Legends flick will take place three years following the conclusion of TV drama Cobra Kai featuring Macchio.