8 Movie Franchises That Have Gender Swapped
5. The Next Karate Kid
Since Ralph Macchio – the lead of the original Karate Kid movies – was nearly thirty by the time of the third movie, it was time to find a new lead. With part four, the producers decided to shake things up a bit and introduce a female pupil for Mr Miyagi.
That’s about as far as innovation got for this entry, which was very much a formulaic entry for the franchise. Hilary Swank was chosen to become the next pupil, and while she gives a spirited turn the crushing lack of creativity really drags it down. It’s essentially a remake that repeats the journey of the first three movies, and doesn’t bother to add anything fresh beyond the surface details.
Swank holds herself well and Michael Ironside makes for a fun villain, but there’s a reason the franchise essentially died after this entry.