Why does the new movie Karate kid trains in Kungfu?

[Yoji]

It should be Kungfu Kid. The old Karate Kid actors aren't even in this movie.
Kungfu Kid would fit the title appropriate since there learning Kungfu instead of Karate.

 

[Sugden007]

Apparently they called it Karate Kid instead of Kung Fu kid because they still think that nobody knows what Kung Fu is and it'd be easier to call it Karate Kid. But if you ask me, its not 1960 anymore and pretty much everyone knows the difference between the two.

 

[GinnyWeasley]

probally cause its a new take on the origanal

 

[lovefoxx]

The original trilogy was a huge box-office success that has garnered a cult following, so my guess is that the filmmakers were trying to profit from the original. By changing the sport from karate to kung fu they are also targeting a newer audience (kung fu has very much become a 'glamorized' sport in film today in my opinion) and giving the films a fresher approach. On another note, since the originals are still so well-received and adored, I also believe that the filmmakers would have been less inclined to do an exact remake as that would have been met with a lot of criticism (no one likes it when Hollywood butchers a classic).