Fans are now able to watch the latest installment in the Karate Kid franchise at home withKarate Kid: Legendsreleasing on digital July 8. The film both looks forward to the future of martial arts withRalph MacchioandJackie ChanteachingBen Wang’s Li Fong, but also looking back as Mr. Han (Chan) seeks out Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) to learn Mr. Miyagi’s way of Karate. Mr. Miyagi, Daniel’s original Sensei, has been a legacy presence during the entire run ofCobra Kai, and on intoKarate Kid: Legends.
Now Collider is unveiling an exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette, Honoring the Miyagi Legacy, with Macchio celebrating the legacy ofPat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi. Morita passed away in 2005, long before the Netflix spin-off series,Cobra Kai, that brought back Macchio’s Daniel La Russo. In the featurette, Macchio along withMing-Na Wen, who plays Dr. Fong, reflects on the impact of Morita’s Mr. Miyagi and “how his wisdom is at the heart of this story.”
Ben Wang Reveals the Toughest Scenes in ‘Karate Kid: Legends’
The91% Audience Scoreinstallment to theKarate Kidfranchise has, of course, no shortage of martial arts in the film. As the driving force, with Kung-Fu and Karate both being featured arts, Ben Wang had his work cut out for him as a young actor.In an interview with Collider’sPerri Nemiroff, Wang revealed his most difficult scenes. “I thought any scene where I had to fight Jackie Chan would be pretty hard, and they were challenging, butJackie’s such a great person to work with, and we had such a good stunt team that I actually didn’t lose as much sleep over those scenes.The stuff that was the hardest was just because we were shooting in Montreal in February, and it was supposed to be summer in the movie.” Wang adds:
“So, when it’s three degrees outside, and you’re doing dialogue,your brain shuts off, and you start forgetting your lines. Those are honestly the toughest days, because the days when we’re doing action were so much fun. It was like itgaveme energy. It was invigorating.”
Despite Wang’s concerns about feeling challenged at the prospect of working with Chan, the martial artist tells Collider, “there were so many people teaching me [while] becoming Jackie Chan. So, when I’m becoming Jackie Chan,I wantmoreJackie Chans.I want, someday, you, [Ben], to become a Jackie Chan. So, on the set,I teach him what I know, and also I learn from him and learn from him, [Ralph], and learn from other people.”
Karate Kid: Legendsis available on digital. Watch the exclusive look at the featurette above. Stay with Collider for the latest updates.
Karate Kid: Legends
