Ben Wang’s Karate Kid: Legends film has become quite anticipated. The film is set to follow the beloved Karate Kid franchise and brings back the beloved Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio. With the trailer having just been shown for the very first time at the New York Comic Con, it is not surprising that fans cannot stop talking about the new addition to the franchise.
While some might assume that this will be Wang’s big break, he has also starred in one series that could have completely changed his career. One that was canceled far too soon, its potential lost to bureaucracy.
American Born Chinese Deserved Better
In 2023, Ben Wang starred in Disney’s American Born Chinese, a series that had one of the most impressive cast lineups in a very long time. Although it brought the young actor as a newcomer, it also starred Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Chin Han in integral roles.
The premise of the series was also excellent, featuring a complex story about a boy trying to navigate the complexities of his social and home life. What made the series all the more interesting was the fact that its themes of identity and society were wrapped in a blanket of fantasy and magic.
The series was extremely well received, having a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. There was a lot of potential with the series, and it could have easily helped Disney establish a fantasy series outside of Marvel, something the franchise has struggled with since the release of Disney+.
However, the series did not get to prove its worth and was canceled after its first season.
A Marvelous Opportunity for Ben Wang
While there is no denying that the loss of a series as good as American Born Chinese is a tragedy, starring in it could help Ben Wang establish a very big step for his career. The themes of the series are quite similar to the kind of shows that Marvel releases, having a perfect balance of teenage quips and serious themes.
While the franchise has struggled with making shows like these work in the past few years, Wang’s presence could seriously help with this. The casting of the series already had two Marvel stars at its forefront, with Michelle Yeoh having starred in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Ke Huy Quan having been a part of Loki.
However, what is even more interesting is that one of the executive producers of the series was Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Considering this, Wang could easily fit into the MCU.
American Born Chinese is available for streaming on Disney+.
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