Karate Kid: Legends- What we know About the film that ties the Karate Kid Franchise Together

It’s time to wax on and wax off again as Karate Kid: Legends is here to add another piece to the Karate Kid franchise. After the 2010 Karate Kid film and the end of the Cobra Kai series, fans were waiting for the next entry and here it finally is!

A release date has been set, and a trailer has been released that shows surprising connections to various other entries of the popular martial arts franchise. In this article, we will discuss everything we know about Karate Kid: Legends, including the latest trailer, plot details, Cobra Kai connections, and more. We will keep you updated with the latest Karate Kid: Legends news as and when it gets released. So, stay tuned!

Karate Kid: Legends Release date and Where to Watch

Karate Kid: Legends is set to hit theaters on Friday, May 30, 2025. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Karate Kid (@karatekidmovie)

What is the plot of Karate Kid: Legends?

The Karate Kid: Legends movie reunites Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso. The two team up to guide Li Fong, a new student who moves to New York City after a family tragedy forces his mother to leave Beijing. Li struggles to fit into his new world and has trouble getting along with his new classmates. 

Li Fong tries to stay out of fights, but trouble seems to always find him. To get out of one such fight, he will have to merge both the fighting styles of Mr. Han and LaRusso.  Actor Ben Wang, who plays Li Fong, was selected after a global search for actors. He was chosen for his martial arts abilities that include Wing Chun, Kempo, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, and more. 

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ben Wang said, “I was the target audience when that movie came out. I was exactly the age of the character. That whole movie takes place in Beijing, and I'd just come back from living for a year in Beijing. Also, I grew up watching Jackie Chan movies. He is the first memory I have of knowing what an actor is. It was all of my favorite things in one place."

Who is in the cast of Karate Kid: Legends?

• Jackie Chan as Mr. Han
• Ralph Macchio as Daniel
• Ming-Na Wen as Li Fong’s Mother 
• Shaunette Renée Wilson as Ms. Morgan
• Ben Wang as Li Fong
• Joshua Jackson as Victor
• Sadie Stanley
• Aramis Knight
• Wyatt Oleff

Karate Kid: Legends Trailer

The first trailer of Karate Kid: Legends has been released. The clip begins with Mr. Han saying, “Our traditions are rooted in history.” He then visits Daniel LaRusso's Miyagi-Do. Mr. Han tells Daniel, “I did not come looking for Sensei Miyagi, I came looking for you.” He recruits him and asks him to train Li Fong to become the next Karate Kid. Mr. Han says, “Li is to me what you meant to Sensei Miyagi.”

As for the new character Li Fong, we see him embark on a journey that seems to be very reminiscent of the one a young Daniel LaRusso went through in the first Karate Kid film. The trailer also shows Daniel and Mr. Han teaming up to take out some bad guys. The fight choreography is impressive and eye-catching. Check out the trailer below. 

Is Cobra Kai Connected to Karate Kid: Legends?

The creators of Cobra Kai are not involved with Karate Kid: Legends, but the newest film of the franchise takes place in the Karate Kid universe. More specifically, it takes place three years after the end of Cobra Kai. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Jonathan Entwistle talked about the connection with Cobra Kai. 

He said, “I was excited about the idea that the films and the series can all be part of one family. I've had some really detailed conversations with the Cobra Kai team about just cool stuff that we can do in the movie and can make this whole thing feel holistic.”

This also means that Daniel LaRusso’s two children, Samantha and Anthony will be out of college. Also, the Miyagi-Do operated by Daniel, as seen in the trailer of the film, also seems to be the one seen in Cobra Kai. 

Is Karate Kid: Legends Connected to Karate Kid 2010?

Karate Kid: Legends will seemingly combine every project of the Karate Kid franchise which exists till now. The first four films that were centered on Mr. Miyagi, the 2010 film starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, as well as the six seasons of Cobra Kai, all will seemingly be connected. 

Since Karate Kid: Legends takes place in the present day, roughly 15 years would have passed since the 2010 Karate Kid film. Mr. Han has since then moved to the USA as shown in the trailer. 

The trailer also confirms that Mr. Han and Mr. Miyagi knew each other. This is interesting because before Karate Kid: Legends, the 2010 Karate Kid film was considered to be a separate timeline. However, that was mainly due to a rights issue. 

Behind the Scenes

Karate Kid: Legends is directed by Jonathan Entwistle, the creator and director of Netflix’s I Am Not Okay With This and The End of the F—ing World. The screenplay is by Rob Lieber who also made Peter Rabbit. Karen Rosenfelt and James Lassiter will produce.

Columbia Pictures, Jerry Weintraub Productions, and Sony Pictures Releasing are involved in production. Filming began in Montreal on Apr. 1, 2024, and wrapped on June 3, 2024.