Karate Kid: Legends, starring Ralph Macchio, Jackie Chan and Ben Wang, debuts on Netflix this week.
Rated PG-13, Karate Kid: Legends premiered in theaters on May 30 before pivoting to digital streaming on July 8. The official summary for Karate Kid: Legends reads, “When kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Wang) relocates to New York City with his mother (Ming-Na Wen) to attend a prestigious new school, he finds solace in a new friendship with a classmate and her father. But his newfound peace is short-lived after he attracts unwanted attention from a formidable local karate champion.
“Driven by a desire to defend himself, Li embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition. Guided by the wisdom of his kung fu teacher, Mr. Han (Chan) and the legendary Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), Li merges their unique styles to prepare for an epic martial arts showdown.”
Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, Karate Kid: Legends also stars Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Wyatt Oleff and Aramis Knight.
Karate Kid: Legends arrives on Netflix on Saturday, Sept. 27, according to the streaming platform.
For viewers who don’t subscribe to Netflix, the platform offers an ad-based package for $7.99 per month for viewing on two supported devices, an ad-free package for $17.99 per month for two supported devices and an ad-free package for $24.99 per month for four supported devices with 4K Ultra HD programming.
Ben Wang Says It Was Surreal To Star In ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ Opposite His Childhood Hero
During a Zoom conversation before the release of Karate Kid: Legends on digital streaming, Ben Wang said he was still in disbelief over not only the opportunity to star in a Karate Kid movie with Ralph Macchio, but one that also starred his childhood hero, Jackie Chan.
“He represents action movies to me. Growing up in China, he represented acting. He represented the movies,” Wang said. “By far, he is one of, if not the biggest star in my childhood, especially when I lived in China and wasn’t that exposed to Hollywood and celebrities. Jackie Chan to me represented film.”
Wang’s role of Li Fong, however, required him to do a fight move that he never could have fathomed.
“I got to meet him and then kick him in the face,” said Wang, who currently stars in the ensemble cast of the new dystopian thriller The Long Walk. “It’s so ridiculous that it almost took away some of my nerves. It was so hard to wrap my head around that it was easier to not let it get to me. It’s so removed from reality, like I was in a simulation or something.”
Karate Kid: Legends is new on Netflix on Saturday.
