The Karate Kid, a new musical based on the 1984 movie, is Broadway-bound

Renowned Japanese director Amon Miyamoto is on board to helm an upcoming Broadway stage adaptation.

Wax on, wax off, wax on...Broadway! It has now been announced that the beloved 1984 Columbia Pictures movie "The Karate Kid" is being adapted into a Broadway musical.

The tuner will feature a book by original screenplay writer Robert Mark Kamen, as well as a new score by Drew Gasparini, and the production will be helmed by renowned Japanese director Amon Miyamoto and choreographed by MTV VMA nominees Keone and Mari Madrid. It will also feature scenic design by Tony and two-time Emmy Award winner Derek McLane.

Robert Mark Kamen commented: "Never in my wildest dreams did I think this little movie would reach across generations the way it has. And beyond my wildest dreams did I think what started out as a love letter to my devotion to Okinawan Karate and the man who taught me would become a full-blown Broadway musical. But here it is. Here I am. And here is hoping that what comes to the stage brings the same joy and relevance The Karate Kid has brought to countless kids and their parents for the past 35 years. Go figure."

Set in Reseda, Los Angeles, "The Karate Kid" centers on teenager Daniel LaRusso who, with the aid of his Sensei Mr. Miyagi, overcomes the odds by defeating the bullies of the local "Cobra Kai" dojo at the All-Valley Karate Tournament, winning the heart of his classmate Ali Mills.

The original movie was a box office smash, earning rave reviews and becoming a cultural phenomenon, widely credited with popularizing karate in the United States of America. It starred Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, Noriyuki "Pat" Morita as Mr. Miyagi and Elisabeth Shue as Ali Mills. Since then, the franchize has grown to include a total of five feature films, two video games, an animated series and a "Cobra Kai" television series which began in 2018.

The Broadway stage adaptation is produced by Kinoshita Group, Kumiko Yoshii, and Michael Wolk, who will announce a timeline, venue, casting and additional creative team information in due course.