The Karate Kid was one of those all-time classics from the ‘80s that truly defined how important it is to have a positive role model in your life. Just when it looked like the franchise would be stuck in the past, Netflix’s Cobra Kai did more than expand the Miyagi-verse. The series exceeded the popularity of the original 1984 film, its three sequels, and the 2010 remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.

When it was announced that Sony was making a new Karate Kid for the big screen, I had serious skepticism. What was the point of making another iteration when Sony had a massive hit with Cobra Kai? It made more sense to branch off Johnny Lawrence and his dojo into a big-screen event. But it was immediately after the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike ended when Chan and Ralph Macchio released their joint video announcing their participation in Karate Kid: Legends.

Based on this trailer alone, the film teases a historical relationship between Miyagi-do and the kung fu stylings of Chan’s family established in the 2010 film. Setting the new story in Manhattan, NY keeps the action far away from the Valley meaning no Cobra Kai students unless a sequel gets greenlit. Most of all, the new story will not follow the traditional beats of teaching a teenage novice how to do martial arts but something much greater instead.

The official synopsis reads the following:

Also Check Out: Ralph Macchio On Why He Can’t See Jackie Chan In Cobra Kai

“After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.”

Are you excited about Karate Kid: Legends? Let us know in the comments.

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