Jaden Smith will be the new 'Karate Kid'

We reported a while back that this new 'Karate Kid' remake was going into development with Will Smiths Overbrook Entertainment and Columbia Pictures. Looks like its official now, and Will Smiths son Jaden Smith will be taking on the role of Daniel-San. Variety reports:

The film will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Overbrook Entertainment's James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz. Will Smith, who is the 10-year-old actor's father, co-starred alongside Jaden in his feature debut, "The Pursuit of Happyness," which Overbrook and Escape Artists produced for Columbia.

The script is being written by Chris Murphy, and the film will shoot next year in Beijing and other cities. While the new film will be set in that exotic locale, it will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.

So would this be considered a re-imagining? Probably. Here is a new rule. If they are going to re-imagine a movie then they should re-imagine the title as well. Oh wait they need the title to fill the seats in the theater. Ok I'm starting to ramble. This new 'Karate Kid' flick is getting made.

I love watching the original and like all movies that end up getting re-made which movie are you going to pop in your DVD player to watch over and over again? In most cases it's the original. Ok I'm rambling again, I'll stop now. I just don't like the idea of re-making 'Karate kid'.

Anyone care to share any thoughts?