His participation in a new Karate Kid is still only the stuff of rumors, but Jaden Smith has officially joined the cast of another remake.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith has signed on to star in Fox’s Scott Derrickson-directed update on The Day the Earth Stood Still. From the article:
Smith will play the rebellious Jacob, the 8-year-old stepson of scientist Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) who first makes contact with the humanoid alien Klaatu (Keanu Reeves). Kathy Bates and Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm also star.
The new Earth‘s screenplay, written by David Scarpa, follows the “global upheaval” caused by Klaatu’s arrival, particularly the experiences of Smith and Connelly, who “[come] to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described ‘friend to the Earth.'”
The Day the Earth Stood Still, scheduled for a December 12 release, will be Smith’s first screen appearance since his critically acclaimed performance in The Pursuit of Happyness.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter