The Karate Kid
“A challenge he never imagined. A teacher he never expected.”
Synopsis
12-year-old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying but the cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make him an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is a kung fu master. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2010-02-25
Top Cast
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Jaden Smith
Dre Parker
Jackie Chan
Mr. Han
Taraji P. Henson
Sherry Parker
Wenwen Han
Meiying
Zhenwei Wang
Cheng
Yu Rongguang
Master Li
Wu Zhensu
Meiying's Dad
Wang Ji
Mrs. Po
Tess Liu
History Teacher
Xu Ming
Bao
Zhao Yi
Zhuang
Lü Shijia
Liang
Luke Carberry
Harry
Liang Geliang
Ping-Pong Man
Zhang Bo
Song
Jared Minns
Dre's Detroit Friend
Cameron Hillman
Mark
Ghye Samuel Brown
Oz
Release History & Theatrical Window
May 10, 2025
Wide Cinema Exhibition
December 18, 2010
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$40M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$359.1M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
8.98x
+$319.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Harald Zwart
- Screenplay & Story
- Christopher Murphey
- Original Score
- James Horner
- Original Title
- The Karate Kid
- Country of Origin
- China, Hong Kong, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Mandarin, English
- Runtime
- 2h 20m
- Production Budget
- $40M
- Worldwide Gross
- $359.1M
- Production Studios
- Jerry Weintraub Productions, Columbia Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment, Emperor Motion Pictures, China Film Group Corporation
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Harald Zwart
Christopher Murphey, Robert Mark Kamen
James Horner
Roger Pratt
Joel Negron
Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Ken Stovitz, James Lassiter, Jerry Weintraub
Department Leadership Roster
Harald Zwart
Director
Christopher Murphey
Screenplay
Jada Pinkett Smith
Producer
Will Smith
Producer
Ken Stovitz
Producer
James Lassiter
Producer
Jerry Weintraub
Producer
James Horner
Original Music Composer
Han Feng
Costume Design
Joel Negron
Editor
Roger Pratt
Director of Photography
François Séguin
Production Design
Wu Gang
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
General — Suitable for all ages.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Karate Kid.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Karate Kid
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Karate Kid about?
12-year-old Dre Parker could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying but the cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make him an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han, who is a kung fu master. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.
Who directed The Karate Kid?
The Karate Kid was directed by Harald Zwart.
Who stars in The Karate Kid?
The principal cast of The Karate Kid includes Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han, Zhenwei Wang.
When was The Karate Kid released and how long is it?
The Karate Kid was released in 2010 with a total runtime of 2h 20m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Karate Kid?
The Karate Kid had a reported production budget of $40M and grossed $359.1M at the worldwide box office (8.98 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Karate Kid?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Karate Kid was composed by James Horner.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Karate Kid?
The Karate Kid holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: G (General — Suitable for all ages.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).