Sadie Stanley, known for her role in Freeform's Cruel Summer, has been announced as part of the cast for the upcoming Karate Kid installment by Sony Pictures. She will star alongside Ben Wang, who was selected after an extensive global search. The film will also feature returning stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, reprising their iconic roles to expand on the franchise's cinematic universe. Joining the cast is Joshua Jackson.
The plot details of the new Karate Kid movie are being kept under wraps, but it is confirmed that the story will shift to the East Coast and center around a teenager from China, played by Wang, who discovers strength and guidance through martial arts and mentorship. Stanley's character is revealed to be the daughter of Jackson's character.
Jonathan Entwistle, known for his work on teen dramas like I'm Not Okay With This and The End of the F***ing World, is set to direct the film. The script is penned by Rob Lieber, known for projects such as Peter Rabbit and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day. Karen Rosenfelt is producing the feature, which is scheduled for release on December 13.
Stanley, a rising actress, has been steadily building her resume since her debut as the lead in the live-action Kim Possible TV movie in 2019. She recently starred in Romano's directorial debut, Somewhere in Queens, alongside Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf. Additionally, she played a prominent role in the second season of Cruel Summer, a teen mystery drama anthology on Freeform that premiered in 2023.
Her other credits include recurring appearances on ABC's The Goldbergs since 2020, as well as roles in Netflix's Dead To Me and HBO's Room 104, produced by the Duplass Brothers. Stanley is represented by Gersh, Thruline Entertainment, and Goodman Genow.
