THE KARATE KID remake, starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, has garnered the second highest test score among research audiences in studio history according to Sony Pictures. The top scorer remains Will Smith’s 2005 comedy HITCH. The results of the research were revealed by the studio to Entertainment Weekly.

While the test viewers were undoubtedly picked to represent Sony’s preferred demographic, it’s rare for a studio to reveal test scores that are in the 97th percentile as this one was. This could mean that Sony has a genuine hit on its hands despite concerns from fans of the original film and possible confusion stemming from the use of THE KARATE KID title in conjunction with use of Chinese wushu in the film.

Coincidently, this news happens to drop on the same weekend that Chan’s family comedy THE SPY NEXT DOOR opens to near universal panning from critics. Rotten Tomato’s Tomatometer currently rates the movie at a low 9%. The film is currently in sixth place on its opening weekend with an estimate of just under $10 million earned according to Box Office Mojo.
Source: Kung Fu Cinema

Hollywood superstar Will Smith will auction a special artwork signed by music artists who performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, to raise funds for poor children.

The ‘Hitch’ star is joined by his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith in raising the money that will go towards providing food to more than 500,000 school children in Haiti.

The artwork will be sold by UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the Will & Jada Smith Family Foundation on eBay.

The art is based on a map of world hunger. It is decorated with personalised silhouettes drawn by Smith, his family and the artists who performed at the concert, according to WFP. (more…)