Jaden Smith and Will Smith to Star in Untitled Sci-Fi Adventure for M. Night Shyamalan

JADEN SMITH TO STAR  WITH WILL SMITH IN

AN UNTITLED SCIENCE-FICTION ADVENTURE FOR COLUMBIA PICTURES

AND DIRECTOR M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN

CULVER CITY, Calif., April 4, 2011 – Jaden Smith is set to star opposite his father, Will Smith, for director M. Night Shyamalan in an untitled sci-fi adventure, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures.  Shyamalan and Will Smith will produce with James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith and Ken Stovitz, Smith’s partners at Overbrook Entertainment. The screenplay is by M. Night Shyamalan and Gary Whitta.

Set 1,000 years into the future, a young boy navigates an abandoned and sometimes scary Earth to save himself and his estranged father after their ship crashes.

Commenting on the announcement, Belgrad said, “Night is an outstanding filmmaker who has a tremendous vision for this science-fiction adventure story and we couldn't be more excited to be working again with Jaden after our experiences on The Pursuit of Happyness and The Karate Kid. We’re thrilled to have the two of them together on this project.”

Shyamalan added, "The chance to make a scary, science-fiction film starring Jaden and Will is my dream project."

Review: THE KARATE KID (2010)

As far as remakes go this new version of The Karate Kid is a rather decent adaptation for a new generation and a brilliant career move for an upcoming action star and one who is certainly past his prime. Generally speaking, there is rarely a good reason to make a remake of any movie, particularly classics like The Karate Kid. If you watch the 80s coming of age teen flick it is still as effective and good a film as it was when it first came out. The story is pretty much universal; a teenager learns to face his demons (a bully at school) and is rewarded (by getting the girl). We have all seen countless of similar movies. So why remake this classic film? Obviously studios had economic reasons to do so. But it seems there were other reasons for the actor’s involvement besides cashing in a check, and that actually elevates The Karate Kid from a been-there-seen-that summer rehash to a personal film.