'Karate Kid' casting call with Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio: What we know about auditions

One of the most famous underdog movies of all time is adding to its franchise − and there's a twist.

There's another "Karate Kid" film in the works starring original star Ralph Macchio and martial arts legend Jackie Chan, who led the 2010 remake with Jaden Smith.

Chan and Macchio teamed up on social media to announce an open casting call for "Karate Kid." Here's what we know.

What is 'The Karate Kid' about?

"The Karate Kid" is about a teenager named Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) who moves to California with his mom and gets harassed at school. Daniel befriends his elderly neighbor, Mr. Miyagi (played by Pat Morita, formerly of "Happy Days"), and learns how to defend himself.

The IMDB bio of "The Karate Kid" sums it up: "A martial arts master agrees to teach karate to a bullied teenager."

The movie was an international hit.

Who is actor Ralph Macchio?

Actor Ralph Macchio shot to international fame when he starred in "The Karate Kid." Before that, he played Johnny Cade, best friend to Ponyboy Curtis, in the big screen adaptation of S.E. Hinton's "The Outsiders." That film co-starred Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell and Tom Cruise.

Macchio appeared in "My Cousin Vinny" with Oscar winners Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei and in the hit TV series "Ugly Betty." He has since found a second chance at international stardom, reprising his role in the Netflix series "Cobra Kai" with "Karate Kid" co-star William Zabka, who plays the bully Johnny Lawrence.

Who is Jackie Chan?

Jackie Chan is an international martial arts star, actor, singer, dancer and author. He has trained in many forms of martial arts and is known for using humor in his fighting choreography.

He became a hit star in the U.S. in the 1990s with his action film "Rumble in the Bronx." He's done family comedies such as "The Spy Next Door" and "Around the World in 80 Days" and teamed up for buddy comedies like the "Rush Hour" films with actor-comedian Chris Tucker and "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights" with Owen Wilson.

Generation X may remember his short-lived animated cartoon series "Jackie Chan Adventures."

In 1999, Chan published his autobiography, "I am Jackie Chan: My Life in Action."

Did Jackie Chan film a movie with Bruce Lee?

Bruce Lee is likely the most famous martial arts star ever known. Jackie Chan briefly appears in Lee's hit movie "Enter the Dragon" and is a stuntman, apparently getting kicked in the stomach so hard he flies out the window, in Lee's film "The Chinese Connection."

While Bruce Lee is well-known for the "one-inch" punch and his martial arts styles of Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun and Kung Fu, Jackie Chan deviated from traditional styles to show audiences "drunken master" martial arts, doing his own stunts in his films, using humor and applying dance moves from the likes of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire in fighting choreography.

Does Jackie Chan still do his own stunts?

Jackie Chan has long had the reputation of doing his own stunts in his martial arts films − in the U.S. and Asia. In the 1970s, Chan created the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, a group of fight scene choreographers, martial artists, actors, producers and stunt professionals that work alongside the actor. The video above shows the Top 10 Greatest Jackie Chan Stunts by watchmojo.com.

Is 'Cobra Kai' based on 'The Karate Kid?'

Yes. The spinoff show 30 years after "The Karate Kid" made its debut originally premiered on YouTube. It became a successful show when it became available for streaming on Netflix and consistently appeared on the "most popular" list after new seasons dropped.

"Cobra Kai" follows a grown-up Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his karate nemesis Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) in their respective dojos and students. Several stars from the original "Karate Kid" film series have returned for cameos or as series regulars.

Is 'Cobra Kai' still on TV?

Yes. News reports say season six of "Cobra Kai" will make its debut in mid-2024. The series premiered in 2018.

What does the 'Karate Kid' casting call say?

Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio teamed up in a video to launch the global casting call for their next "Karate Kid" film.

"The Karate Kid Movie" already has more than 64,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, as of Nov. 22, 2023, a day after the open casting call was announced: "Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio are looking for the next Karate Kid to star in the new #KarateKidMovie. The global search starts now! For details visit: http://KarateKidCasting.com"

Here's the description of the open casting call: "We are looking for the next Karate Kid.Li Fong: Looking for an actor to portray Chinese or mixed-race Chinese and between 15 to 17 years old. He speaks fluent English. Conversational Mandarin is a strong plus. He's smart, scrappy and a skilled martial artist. Any sort of martial arts, movement, gymnastics, and/or dance experience is a strong plus. Acting experience is preferred but not required. Must be available March (2024) to June 2024. If this sounds like a role for you or someone you know, please email your name, where you are based, a recent photo and a short bio. Email karatekidcasting@sony.com."

Can anyone audition for 'Karate Kid' movie with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio?

Yes. See paragraph above for contact info and details.

How many 'Karate Kid' movies are there?

There are five movies in the "Karate Kid" brand.

• "The Karate Kid," 1984, with Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka and Martin Kove

• "The Karate Kid Part II," 1986, with Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita

• "The Karate Kid Part III," 1989, with Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita

• "The Next Karate Kid," 1994, with Pat Morita and Hilary Swank

• "The Karate Kid," 2010, with Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith and Taraji P. Henson

Do you need to know karate, Kung Fu or martial arts to audition for 'Karate Kid' movie?

No experience is necessary, according to the "Karate Kid" open casting call post by Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Karate Kid movie: How to audition for role, are martial arts required?