A new Karate Kid movie is coming in 2024 starring Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, which only makes the franchise’s lack of this one character worse.
It was recently announced that a new The Karate Kid movie would be coming out in 2024 with old stars, Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, at the forefront, however this casting choice only serves to emphasize the absence of another The Karate Kid character that should return, but still hasn’t. The Karate Kid is an iconic martial arts drama franchise that initially began in 1984. The first movie follows Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who moves to Los Angeles with his widowed mother, and finds himself stuck in a rivalry with a school bully, which leads him to learn karate from his apartment building’s handyman, Mr. Miyagi.
Though the news of the 2024 The Karate Kid is incredibly exciting, Jackie Chan’s surprise return raises a variety of questions and emotions. First and foremost, Chan’s role in the new The Karate Kid bridges the gap between the original The Karate Kid films and Chan’s reboot film from 2010. Previously, these films were thought to be separate, but Macchio’s return as Daniel LaRusso and Chan’s as Mr. Han confirms that they exist in the same world. Although this is a great step for the franchise, Jackie Chan’s casting is also a reminder of The Karate Kid characters that haven’t returned.
Hilary Swank Needs A Karate Kid Return More Than Jackie Chan
The worst part of Jackie Chan’s return in the new The Karate Kid is that it completely ignores Hilary Swank. Although Chan starred in the 2010 reboot of The Karate Kid, Swank’s connections run even deeper. In 1994, the actress was the star of the fourth The Karate Kid movie entitled The Next Karate Kid. The film follows Julie, a young woman who recently lost her parents and finds solace in the karate teachings of Mr. Miyagi. So, considering the fact that Hilary Swank came before Jackie Chan in The Karate Kid universe, it would only make sense that her return should come before his.
In fact, there are plenty of small reasons why Swank’s return makes more sense than Chan’s. First and foremost, Swank has always been part of The Karate Kid canon, while Chan has not. Notably, Cobra Kai mentioned Jackie Chan by name in its first season, insinuating that he was an actor rather than the character he played in 2010’s The Karate Kid. Meanwhile, Hilary Swank has always been Julie. Furthermore, a team-up between Julie and Daniel LaRusso would have been especially cool. Rather than continuing the tradition of teacher-student co-stars, the new film could have carved a new path of two former students who became teachers.
Why Jackie Chan Is Returning To Karate Kid Before Hilary Swank
There are a couple of reasons that could explain why Jackie Chan is returning to The Karate Kid before Hilary Swank. It could be that the franchise wants to maintain its traditional set-up, and therefore, pairing up Ralph Macchio with Jackie Chan makes the most sense. It could also be that Hilary Swank does not want to return to the franchise at this point, or at all. A more exciting proposition is that perhaps The Karate Kid franchise has plans for Swank later on down the road. Either way, there is still hope that Hilary Swank’s Julie will return someday.
