Undoubtedly one of the most renowned film franchises of the 1980s was the Karate Kid trilogy. Even though major movie franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones subsequently followed, The Karate Kid continues to be very popular. All thanks to Will Smith’s 2010 adaptation of The Karate Kid and Netflix’s Cobra Kai series. The popularity of the original trilogy has increased after Cobra Kai arrived because fans are thrilled to discover what their favorite characters from the 1970s are up to now, decades later.
The Karate Kid fame Ralph Macchio, who is best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in Netflix’s Cobra Kai, in his book Waxing On; The Karate Kid and Me, revealed some significant admissions. The actor declined an offer to work with Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise in a prospective crossover.
Why Ralph Macchio Turned Down the Karate Kid & Rocky Crossover Pitch?
Ralph Macchio wrote about the moment he came across the idea for a crossover of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky and The Karate Kid franchises in his memoir Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me.
Both successful and well-liked television shows at the time had John G. Avildsen as their director.
The actor revealed that a scriptwriter had presented the concept to him and the director following the release of The Next Karate Kid, the fourth film in the series. He described the storyline in which Rocky Balboa and Daniel LaRusso’s children faced off against one another.
He said in his memoir, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me:
“Daniel LaRusso and Rocky Balboa somehow knew each other, and each had kids with problems. And they would come together between Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey, and create a new fight system between Miyagi and Rocky’s trainer. That’s still the best one. But there were others, like Miyagi coming back as a ghost and being a guide, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. It’s a joy to think back at all of them, because now I look, and know I made the right choice by waiting for the ‘Cobra Kai’ concept.”
However, Macchio believes that this crossover premise was both original and would have worked well.
Why Ralph Macchio Refused To Be A Part Of Will Smith’s Karate Kid Remake?
Ralph Macchio was invited to take part in the The Karate Kid remake by Will Smith, but the actor turned down the offer.
The Cobra Kai actor gave an explanation for his decision to turn down Will Smith’s offer in his book, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me.
Ralph Macchio stated that one of the reasons he turned down the part was that Will Smith did not promise him a big part. He said to Fox News Digital,
“Listen, he didn’t offer like, ‘I’m gonna write you a big role in this remake. He just said, ‘Any involvement you want, we could figure it out.’ He wanted me to feel comfortable with it going forward.’”
However, Macchio said that it was fantastic to know that the story still had significant importance, and he also wished everyone involved in the remake luck and success.
Source: Fox News
