May 29, 2025, 2:51 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Fans have long awaited this film: “Karate Kid: Legends.” With 25-year-old Ben Wang in the title role, the franchise is sure to captivate a new generation of martial arts fans. But longtime fans will also get their money’s worth thanks to a hefty dose of nostalgia provided by the original Karate Kid of the 1980s, Ralph Macchio, and martial arts legend Jackie Chan. FITBOOK editor-in-chief Melanie Hoffmann met the three virtually for an interview.
The “Karate Kid” hype began in 1984 with Ralph Macchio, and in 2010, Jackie Chan, along with Will Smith’s son, Jaden Smith, thrilled both old and new “Karate Kid” fans. Now, the duo, together with Ben Wang as the new “Karate Kid,” propels the franchise into 2025 with a modern yet wonderfully nostalgic story, surely winning the hearts of a whole new generation of moviegoers. In the FITBOOK interview, Jackie Chan revealed what it’s like to do Kung Fu at 71 and explained what makes martial arts unique to him. Macchio’s connection to martial arts has fundamentally changed since his first “Karate Kid” appearance. And Ben Wang? He’s happy to take on the kicks Jackie Chan can no longer do and is simply thrilled to work with the two “Karate Kid” legends.
Jackie Chan Can Still Punch and Kick at His Age
FITBOOK: Mr. Chan, you are now 71 years old. What is it like to shoot action scenes at this age? And how has it changed compared to when you were 30 or 40?
Jackie Chan: “I can no longer do a triple kick or double kick like I could at 30 or 20. Or later, at 40 or 50, a double kick. Today, I’m 71 years old and mostly do just one kick. So I just do one kick. I want to show the audience: Yes, I’m 71–but I can still move! I still love action movies. And honestly, I hope a director gives me the chance to play a superhero again–maybe Spider-Man or Iron Man (laughs). I’d love to learn special effects. But the technology is so good today, AI too–yet they still want people to see me and how I do my stunts. Even if it’s just two punches and a kick–they accept it. Because they know what I’ve done before. Now I play the old teacher, the Miyagi, and want to show what I can still do–and pass it on to the student in the film.”
Ben Wang: “I just do the triple kicks now.”
Working with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio Was Like Meeting Santa Claus
Mr. Wang, what was it like for you to learn from Jackie Chan and the original Karate Kid and work with them on set?
Ben Wang: “It was crazy! I mean–learning Kung Fu from Jackie Chan? You can’t make that up. It’s like a dream come true. Their movies have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. And now stepping into their world is like traveling to the North Pole and meeting the real Santa Claus.”
“I lifted weights for 20 years—if only I had done Muay Thai.”
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How It Felt for Ralph Macchio to Return to the “Karate Kid” Universe
Mr. Macchio, how was it for you to return to this world with “Cobra Kai” and now this film, and to practice karate again?
Ralph Macchio: “It was like riding a bike–you never forget. But I still had to dive deep again. I’m older now. It was easier before; today, I have to put more work into it. But I enjoy telling the young cast stories about filming the first movie. Everyone is so interested and wants to know things like what it was like to meet Pat Morita (who played Miyagi in the 1984 ‘Karate Kid’, ed.) and shoot scenes with him? Or they want to hear about the fights that were the heart of the film. I feel a bit like a mentor or sensei then. And I’m proud to be part of this legacy and to carry it on with the young cast. The story of the new film fits very well into the ‘Karate Kid’ universe and doesn’t forget the themes that made the world so successful, touching, and inspiring. It inspired me to step back into this role and pass my knowledge on to the next generation. I hope the film now inspires a whole new generation, people from eight to 80. Few films achieve that.”
Jackie Chan: “Martial Arts Is Not Comparable to Swimming or Golf”
Mr. Chan, Mr. Macchio–what does martial arts mean to you personally in terms of fitness, health, and aging?
Jackie Chan: “In ancient martial arts, it was about protecting oneself, defending oneself. In modern martial arts, it’s about much more: the mind, discipline. When children start martial arts, the first thing they learn is respect–for their parents, teachers, their country, the world, food, water, just everything. But today, martial arts is treated like swimming, tennis, or badminton. It’s just training. But martial arts is not comparable to a sport like golf. It teaches agility, quick movements, falling down, grabbing someone. It’s not about a few repetitive movements; martial arts trains the whole body.”
Ralph Macchio: “It’s a philosophy, a complete lifestyle. I feel that much more strongly today than I did back in 1984. Back then, I just did the punches and kicks for the film. Then the film was over, and I focused on the next task. Today, the philosophy and lifestyle give me so much more. Even when it comes to breathing. How to breathe through something. Sometimes I had a fight scene, and my stunt trainer would say, ‘Breathe through it.’ Instead of tensing up, you breathe, then you relax and become faster.”