Jackie Chan says “Kung Fu Kid” co-star Jaden Smith’s dedication to martial arts puts his own son to shame.

The 11-year-old son of Hollywood stars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith has been training under Chan’s stunt co-ordinator for his role in the China Film Group-Columbia Pictures remake of the 1984 hit “The Karate Kid,” which kicked off filming in Beijing on July 11.

In a diary entry on his official Web site, Chan said he was deeply impressed by the younger Smith’s progress when he visited Los Angeles last month.

The veteran Hong Kong action star said Jaden Smith learned the Chinese phrases for different kung fu moves, responded to orders in Mandarin, and treated his teacher, Wu Gang, according to traditional Chinese custom. (more…)

There’s no adventure too big or too small for Will Smith to tackle, no journey too epic for him to take onscreen. The moment a film with a title like “The City That Sailed” is announced, you probably think “Oh yeah, that’ll probably star Will Smith. He could sail an entire city.” And you would be right! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith is attached to star in the fantastical drama, and the film may reunite him with director Francis Lawrence (”I Am Legend”). (more…)

Will Smith’s daughter will play a young True on “True Jackson, VP.”

Will Smith’s 8-year-old daughter, Willow Smith, will make her television debut on the Nickelodeon series, “True Jackson, VP.”

According to Hollyscoop, Smith will appear in a one-hour flashback episode as the younger version of the show’s star, True (played by Keke Palmer). On the show, True leads a double life as a high school student and vice president of a fashion company. (more…)

Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are moving forward with plans for a remake of “Old Boy” despite a complex, behind-the-scenes rights wrangle involving the Japanese publishers of the original manga and the Korean producers of Park Chan-Wook’s 2003 cult hit.

Futabasha, publisher of the manga by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya, has filed a case against Show East in Seoul, alleging the Korean company never had the right to negotiate a remake.

The issue is further complicated by the fact that Show East has shut down and its CEO, Kim Dong-Ju, has disappeared. Big Egg, a co-producer of the ultra-violent revenge flick, has also closed up shop, and its former staffers are unreachable. (more…)

Will Smith is no stranger to playing heroes. With the exception of “Ali” however, they’ve all been fictional do-gooders who save the world from CGI hordes. Well Smith is heading back into the real world with his latest project, as Variety reports that Smith is set to tell the story of a Hurricane Katrina hero.

Sony, with Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment, have obtained the rights to the life story of John Keller, an ex-Marine who was nicknamed “The Can Man” by New Orleans press. Keller resided in the American Can Company apartments; when the hurricane hit and flooded the building beneath 11 feet of water, he stood guard against looters and troublemakers. Keller also hot-wired cars and boats in order to get to the grocery store so he could provide neighbors with food. (more…)

Will Smith is teaming up with the Sci Fi Channel for some “Unfinished Business.” The “Han” star is set to executive produce a new series for Sci Fi called “Unfinished Business,” about a man who an ex-cop who sees flashes of memories from the recently deceased and helps them resolve their unfinished business.

“Unfinished Business” is currently being produced as a two-hour movie with the possibility of serving as a pilot for a series. Sally Robinson (“Iron Jawed Angels”) will write, while “Band of Brothers” Emmy-winning director Mikael Salomon is attached to direct.

“Sci Fi is excited to begin development on ‘Unfinished Business’ with Overbrook Entertainment and Will Smith,” said Mark Stern, Executive VP of original programming at the Sci Fi network. “It is a compelling and thrilling drama that is perfect for our audience.”

The Sci Fi channel will soon become the SyFy channel. The network will change its name in July along with the premieres of new original programming.
Source: The Insider

Actor Will Smith is dishing to “Extra” about who he thinks should play the first black James Bond on the big screen.

“Extra” caught up with the megastar last night, as he was presented with the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian Award. When an “Extra” friend asked Will who would make a better black James Bond — himself, P. Diddy, or Jamie Foxx — Smith responded, “Puff probably lives the most like James Bond… Jamie Foxx got the swag for James Bond. He can sing too, so he can add a new element to Bond. Wooing the ladies… and I think I can guarantee the box office!” (more…)

When Will Smith announced that his production company would be remaking “The Karate Kid,” he set off waves of speculation about how drastically he would break from Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita’s original story.

Macchio went on record, saying that recreating the figure of Mr. Miyagi with Jackie Chan, let alone the rest of the story, would be a challenge. Smith assured everyone from the beginning that his new film would have “a Chinese adaptation to it,” though, and new details about the script seem to confirm that it will head in a very new direction. (more…)

Actor Will Smith accepts the Humanitarian Award at The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Annual National Tribute Dinner.

GALLERY LINKS:
• Appearances from 2009 – The Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Annual National Tribute Dinner [HQ]

Still not much in Will news, so I updated the gallery with a photoshoot that Will did for Men’s Vogue in 2007. He looks incredible! I also have a couple magazine scans to add to the gallery thanks to Josan and some movie stills will be added later.

GALLERY LINKS:
• Photoshoots – #013