“I was the target audience when that movie came out.
I was exactly the age of the character,” Wang tellsEntertainment Weekly.
Also, I grew up watching Jackie Chan movies.
Credit:Jonathan Wenk
He is the first memory I have of knowing what an actor is.
It was all of my favorite things in one place."
But how does Mr. Han know about Daniel LaRusso?
Ben Wang in ‘Karate Kid: Legends’.Jonathan Wenk
Where does Mr. Miyagi (the latePat Morita) fit into the story?
And what’s the connection betweenLegendsandNetflix’sCobra Kai?
EW pummeled Wang and Entwistle for answers politely, of course.
Jackie Chan, Ben Wang and Ralph Macchio in ‘Karate Kid: Legends’.Jonathan Wenk
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: There have been rumblings aboutanotherKarate Kidmovie with Jackie Chan since 2014.
Finally,Sony announced what would ultimately becomeKarate Kid: Legendsin 2022.
Jonathan, at what point did you get involved in the project?
Jackie Chan and Ben Wang in ‘Karate Kid: Legends’.Jonathan Wenk
JONATHAN ENTWISTLE:Well, I was originally sent the script in early 2022.
When I first read the script,Cobra Kaiwas nowhere near as far along as it is now.
It all germinated at kind of the same time.
Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, and Ralph Macchio on the ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ poster.SONY Pictures
Ben, you sent in a tape of yourself for your first audition.
Did you show off any martial arts skills in that video?
BEN WANG:I did do martial arts.
I was actually visiting my mom in China at the time.
They were like, They want to see you do some martial arts.
So, I made the tape in the gymnasium of her school.
Those three things are really, really difficult to find.
We found this guy whos in the middle of nowhere.
Wow, this is amazing, only to find out that he’s from Minnesota.
Ben, what background do you have in martial arts?
I trained with them for about a month and a half before we started shooting.
Jonathan, how do Mr. Han and Daniel-san come together in this story?
The Han family and the Miyagi family are connected all the way back to the old times.
And how would you describe Jackie Chan’s presence on set?
Jackie Chan is a movie star, and that is something that you don’t see so much anymore.
Can you give me an example of one of his tiny ideas?
He wanted to jump out from the spot that would have the most effect.
None of us ever had a choice.
Jonathan, how else do you incorporate the city setting into the story?
JE:Its the idea of in a classicKarate Kidsense the fish out of water.
SONY Pictures
Ben, give us a preview of the most challenging scene you had to shoot.
They were really long and really hard days, but it never felt impossible.
Go back to ones, start again!
And you’re freezing, you’re trying really hard to act, and you do 17 takes.
And then Jonathan goes, Right, I think we’ll just use the first one.
[Laughs]
JE:Exactly.
[Laughs] We set out to make something that was both cinematic and action-packed.
The fight sequences, they’re really exciting.
What else can you tell us about howKarate Kid: Legendsconnects to the world ofCobra Kai?
I was excited about the idea that the films and the series can all be part of one family.
Were really excited that we’ve added another piece to the overall universe.
Karate Kid: Legendspremieres in theaters Friday, May 30, 2025.
