Will Smith explains why the new ‘Karate Kid’ will be filmed in China

Yes, I think it may indeed be a sign of the times. I’m not in that in tune with history and world trends and all, but I think this movie is in need of a plot revision based on modern Sino-Japanese-American events. Here’s a draft. There are lots of gaps and it ends rather abruptly, so I invite any edits:

Due to scandal and economic troubles, Daniel-san, who is pretty old now, was recently laid off from his job as an Eikaiwa sensei in Osaka where he made an extravagant salary, particularly before the economic bubble burst. He sees that Japan’s economic prowess is dwindling, and it’s cultural novelty, at least in the eyes of Hollywood, is fading as well. Japan’s just not where it’s at anymore.

He decides to move to China which is undergoing modernization at a dragon’s pace, and where there is a lot more subject material to make a recycled movie appear novel. When he gets to China he encounters some elderly people exercising in the park. He trys out his famous Crane move, but they are not impressed and just kick him in the nads.

As he writhes in the dirt, wondering how and when he lost his mojo, one of the elderly people (a kindly little man with a white goatee) approaches him and says, in a funny accent that is vaguely Asian-like “Daniel-san, I am Mr. Li. You have lost your discipline and true Karate spirit. I will teach you Chinese Kenpo powers, just as I did for Miyagi-kun, so you will become cool, and no longer be a wimp. But beware, I am more ancient, wise and “authentic” than Mr. Miyagi was, and within a few weeks your connection with Chinese culture will be so deep it will be as if you were one of us, yet celebrated as a superior because you are not from this land, and also the main character of the movie. Now go wash my SUV.”

And so together, Daniel-san and Mr. Li become heroes in the effort to export pseudo-Chinese culture to the rest of the world, covering the real China with a beautiful Hollywood sheen, just like Japan.

Is it the Korean movie Oldboy, or the Japanese manga Oldboy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Boy_(manga)

I don’t have high hopes for it, but Korean made an adaption of the manga, and Hollywood is looking to do the same. They are not only looking to the Korean movie for inspiration, but at the original Japanese manga.

*shrug*

The statement, “…originally Chinese/Japanese”, is used quite by Japanese, perhaps he’s just speaking in a polite manner. What goes around, comes around I guess.

well it also can be “cool CG movie” but it will be anyway in wrong place and the original story shitted on, “wikid grafix” will not save it

“This goes to show that Hollywood and Will Smith will do anything to make money.”

Look, I think it’s going to be a horrible movie too, but it’s their job to make money. Hollywood isn’t a cultural charity for dispersing postmodern art visions – It sells screen time.

You know how Dragonball went on for a trillion books and episodes in long, drawn out fight sequences? That was for the money. You need to practically buy an entire new book shelf just to hold the Dragonball series, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were also selling a Dragonball-themed bookshelf. You could cut a lot of the crap from Dragonball and condense it into a shorter story, but you’d also be making a lot less money.

Your right! They don’t know the difference I’m so tired of these Hollywood Directors & Producers, & Actors trying to make movies about Asian Cultures leave it along. American movies are just to boring they have to always go to China and try to take over I’m sick and tired of it.