The Karate Kid
The Next Karate Kidis not fondly retrieve by fan of the high - kicking franchise . There ’s no Daniel LaRusso , for starter , with doer Ralph Macchio opt to string up up his black bang after three previous pleasure trip . In his place , come a pre - fame Hilary Swank and a rejigged title – a potential bid onStar Trek : The Next Generation – as studio apartment boss attempted to breathe new life into the saga .
Unfortunately , the resulting motion picture failed to come to the franchise , despite the best efforts of Swank and Pat Morita , who returned as Mr. Miyagi . The Next Karate Kidtook an almighty kicking at the box billet , grossing just $ 8.9 million compared with the $ 38.9 million made onThe Karate Kid Part III . So where did it all go wrong ? Here are just 10 behind the scenes facts that go some way to explain the rise and capitulation of this Macchio - less quite a little .
The Karate Kid Screenwriter Was ‘Done’ With The Franchise By Then
Original screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen had expressed an interest in take a leak a female - led sequel . However , by the timeThe Next Karate Kidrolled around he was done with the franchise , after his marriage offer for a third film centered on Mr. Miyagi ’s ancestors was rejected .
“ I wanted to have them flashback to 16th - century China and do a historic fly people movie … a Hong Kong Kung Fu movie,”he toldMovieHole . " If they would have done my fly the great unwashed flick , I would have done it but they did n’t desire to do that … I wanted to do the third one with a girl and get rid of Daniel , but they did n’t require to do that . ”
The Next Karate Kid Was Directed By Superman’s Dad
John G. Avildsen had direct every instalment ofThe Karate Kidup until this gunpoint . However , he followed Kamen in turn down the chance to render forThe Next Karate Kid . Like the original screenwriter , he had been left unhappy with howThe Karate Kid Part IIIturned out and balked at a fourth installment , opt instead to direct8 Seconds , a biopic center on American rodeo legend Lane Frost , asterisk Luke Perry .
In his place came Christopher Cain , an experient director whose credits includedYoung GunsandThe Principal . He also happened to be the stepfather of Dean Cain ofLois & Clark : The New Adventures of Supermanfame .
Macchio Was Never Offered The Chance To Return For Karate Kid 4
Ralph Macchio was 23 when he played Daniel LaRusso inThe Karate Kid . By the time work onThe Next Karate Kidbegan , he was well into his thirty . Even so , he refutes any suggestion he grow down the chance to make a 4th film .
" I had listen they were making it,“Macchio toldUproxx . " It was n’t like they came to me and I said , ' Oh no , I ’ll never do another one of these . ' None of that bechance . I think it was probably a determination by the studio and manufacturer at that point , ' Hey , let ’s take this in this counselling , get ’s observe another style to go . ' "
Swank Thought She Was Auditioning To Be Daniel LaRusso’s Girlfriend
Swank was just 18 when she beat out 500 other hopefuls to shoot down the starring role of Julie inThe Next Karate Kid . However , at the time , she thought she was diddle an altogether dissimilar part in the movie . Fresh from an appearance in theBuffy the Vampire Slayermovie , Swank respond to an advert seek " a lady friend for a purpose in ' Karate Kid 4 . "
" I believe I was auditioning to work Ralph Macchio ’s girlfriend,“she recite theChicago Tribune . " It was n’t until after I contract the screen test that I found out I was going to be Ralph , well , sort of . "
Swank Went Through A Gruelling Martial Arts Training Regime
Swank had never practice martial arts before the film , but threw herself into the action . She take karate with a trainer for up to five hours a twenty-four hour period , every day while cinematography , so she could do all of her own stunts in the motion-picture show . It made for a toilsome experience , but one she enounce at long last proved invaluable
" I heat up bruised and sore all the time , " she told theChicago Tribunein the same interview . “But I require to keep training because I experience really confident now . Like if someone tried to snap up my purse or something , I find like I could take care of myself . "
Hilary Swank Was An Accomplished Athlete In Her Youth
Swank may not have had any warriorlike liberal arts experience but she was an zealous athlete in her teens and compete to a high banner in both swimming and gymnastic exercise . As a natator , she competed in both the Junior Olympics and Washington state championship , while she was also ranked 5th in the state in all - around gymnastics .
She also played tennis in her spare sentence - all of which proved staggeringly utilitarian onThe Next Karate Kid . Swank told WWD , “ I grow up as an athlete , so working out for me is like breathing , log Z’s , eating , drinking water — it is a really vital part of my life . ”
Fans Finally Found Out What Mr. Miyagi’s First Name Was
The Next Karate Kidis famed for in conclusion revealing Mr. Miyagi ’s first name . While he was named in an earlier , short - hold out , cartoon series , this film represent the first instance he was named on the liberal screen . The large reveal add up during the prospect in which Mr. Miyagi attends a military reunification and first meets Swank ’s character Julie , the orphaned granddaughter of his late commander .
In a cast-off tantrum , he is bear on to as Keisuke Miyagi . However , there is some confusion regarding this first name , fit in to canyon , as the character ’s tombstone on the tv set seriesCobra Kaireads Nariyoshi Miyagi .
The Next Karate Kid Was Walton Goggins First Film Role
Swank is n’t the only bragging name to seem inThe Next Karate Kid . The film also feature Walton Goggins , an actor well know for role on TV shows likeThe Shield , JustifiedandVice Principals , as well as Quentin Tarantino movies , likeDjango UnchainedandThe Hateful Eight .
accredit as “ Walt Goggins ” in the film , he essentially plays a background karate stooge to the main baddie , Colonel Paul Dugan ( Michael Ironside ) . Though he had already featured on show likeRenegadeandBeverly Hills 90210 , this lowly role was significant in being Goggins ’s first official pic credit . It also have in mind that , like Swank , should the show call for it , he could always pop up inCobra Kai .
Hilary Swank Was Given A Special Colored Belt By Her Instructor
Ninth - stage black knock Pat E. Johnson trained all of the fighters in the earlier flick , even popping up as the referee in the big tournament coda of each movie . He also put Swank through her paces onThe Next Karate Kidand was impressed with what he saw .
Johnson spout about her skillsin a September 1994 issue ofBlack Belt Magazine : " Hilary is so good I feel that if I could train her for one year , she would be free-enterprise on the national karate circuit - she ’s that good . " According to theNew Strait Times , he awarded her a particular Pink belt in realization of her efforts .
Swank Did The Next Karate Kid Poster Pose For Real - And It Hurt
The bill forThe Next Karate Kidis memorable for the heap of Swank , in mid - air , unleash a full - blown karate boot on an unseen opponent . It ’s a striking visual and one which , Swank revealed toPeople Magazine , was hard to pull off .
During a 2007 consultation with the magazine [ viaMovieweb ] , she was presented with the epitome and throw off further light on the physical toll of pulling off such an acrobatic pose . " Wahoo ! That was the notice forThe Next Karate Kid . I had some flexibility ! I commend doing that gibe , and when I was done , I was so huffy , I could n’t sit down . "
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