Jaden Smith’s Film Career Took a Depressing Turn Since Jackie Chan's ‘The Karate Kid’, But It Was Not All Bad News (2025)

SUMMARY

• Jaden Smith started his movie career very young and received phenomenal success with The Karate Kid.
• However, he was unable to sustain his acting career and so turned to music and gained success even there.
• The Karate Kid franchise has an upcoming addition in the face of not just another film but also another young star, Ben Wang.

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Some actors show immense talent from a young age, and Jaden Smith is one such example. The actor debuted as an 8-year-old alongside his father, Will Smith, in the 2006 movie The Pursuit of Happyness.

However, it was his successful stint in The Karate Kid with the iconic Jackie Chan which went on to establish his reputation in the industry. Unfortunately, he never could replicate that level of success with his later projects, and diverted his career path. The young star then kickstarted his musical career and that too became huge after several hits.

From a young movie star to a musical prodigy

Will Smith worked consistently in the entertainment industry to establish himself as a talented actor. The Men In Black star dabbled in films of a diverse range to prove his acting ability.

However, in his 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness, the audience’s eyes were on someone else. The movie featured a young Jaden Smith beside his father, shocking the viewers with his heartwarming performance. This father-son dynamic helmed by Gabriele Muccino even got an Oscar nomination.

Although his fans and everyone else would argue that it was his venture with Jackie Chan which would eventually propel him to stardom. The 2010 American and Chinese martial arts drama film The Karate Kid became synonymous with Smith’s identity.

The movie’s success and praise for his performance made the audience speculate that he might become the next big star. Sadly The After Earth actor couldn’t produce another hit quite as big, and eventually faded from the big screens.

This is when his journey began in another big field, the musical industry. Smith gained popularity as a rapper in the competitive industry and produced several hit songs. Tracks like Icon, Fallen, and Watch Me earned him several nominations and accolades.

In 2010 his collaboration with another famous singer Justin Bieber earned him a lot of fame. Their song Never Say Never peaked at number eight on the USBillboardHot 100. So, even though he did not have a longer career in the movie industry, he cemented his legacy elsewhere.

Another Karate Kid in town: The new addition

The 2010 Harald Zwart directorial was one of the most successful movies in the series, until recent news of a new sequel. Variety reported that Sony had showcased the first trailer for Karate Kid: Legends, which reunited two of the franchise’s principal characters.

The new film would feature Chan and Ralph Macchiofrom the previous movies, but this time with a new pupil. According to the article, Ben Wang is portraying the character of Li Fong making him the new Karate Kid.

Mulan actress, Ming-Na Wen is also going to appear in the role of Wang’s mother in the upcoming film. Joshua Jackson, Rob Lieber, and Karen Rosenfelt are also attached to the project, making it an exciting venture.

The End of the F—ing World director Jonathan Entwistle is signed to handle the direction of the movie. On the other hand, the Syre singer went on to win a Grammy nomination for Album Of The Year for his work on Justice (Triple Chucks Deluxe). He has also won two NAACP Image Awards and an Empire Award.

Karate Kid: Legends is expected to be released on 30 May 2025.

The Pursuit of Happyness is currently available to watch on Netflix.

The Karate Kid (2010) is currently available to watch on Netflix.