With a subtle detail, theKarate Kid: Legendstrailermay have just confirmed the new movie ignoresCobra Kai. Putting the original underdog, Daniel LaRusso, and Mr. Han at the helm,Karate Kid: Legendsreunites key charactersfrom the franchise, albeit ones who come from two opposing universes. Coming off ofCobra Kai’s success, and with Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, it was assumed thatKarate Kid: Legendswould establish the links between allKarate Kidremakes and spin-offs.
Though director Jonathan Entwistle has teased that Chan’s character inKarate Kid: Legendshas deeper connections to Miyagi, so far nothing hints the movie accepts the events inCobra Kai. Even if he comes from having starred in six seasons of the Netflix hit,Ralph Macchio’s best arc belongs to theKarate Kid movies, and the upcoming film could easily ignore his journey in the series. This would, of course, be a huge risk, consideringCobra Kai’s fanbase’s huge investment in LaRusso’s character development in the spin-off. However,theKarate Kid: Legendstrailer does seem to suggestCobra Kainever happened.
Miyagi-do’s Dojo In Karate Kid: Legends Looks Nothing Like It Does In Cobra Kai
Karate Kid: Legends Hints At An Alternate Future For Daniel LaRusso
TheKarate Kid: Legendstrailerhas been causing commotion among die-hard fans, premising an action-packed sequel that pulls from the original in the best ways. As bothCobra Kai’s season 6 and the legacy sequel were in production simultaneously, hopes were that the 2025 movie was a direct follow-up to Netflix’s hit series’ ending. On top of Daniel LaRusso’sCobra Kaifamily being notably absent from the trailer, another detailhints thatKarate Kid: Legendsis ignoring the series to reimagine a future for Danielthat might be more aligned with the movies.
Filming forCobra Kaiseason 6 began a bit earlier than the movie, in February, whileKarate Kid: Legendsstarted production in April. Both projects wrapped in June 2024.
27 seconds into the trailer, the imageshows Miyagi-Do’s dojo, though it doesn’t look anything like the location in the Netflix series. Rather, the place appears to be an exact replica of Miyagi’s house from the 1984 movie. Though theKarate Kid: Legendstimelineimplies three years have passed sinceCobra Kai’s ending, the worn-out exterior of Miyagi’s house looks as if it hadn’t been touched since the 80s, let alone used as a dojo. Perhaps the movie and series merely used different sets, however, this doesn’t explain the heavy lack of connections between the two projects.
What We Know About Karate Kid: Legends' Connection To Cobra Kai
So far, the strongest connections established between the new legacy sequel andCobra Kaicome from Ralph Macchio, who, obviously, has been a key part of starting, ending, and then reviving theKarate Kidfranchise. Talking toVariety, the actor mentioned it was important thatCobra Kai’s ending led to the movie, and confirmed the three-year gap between the two. Notably,Macchio vaguely pointed out that “they’re separate ecosystems,”opening the possibility thatKarate Kid: Legendswill present a different universe, perhaps one that embraces the 2010Karate Kidremake being so similar to the original.
Takimg Mr. Miyagi and Mr. Han’s combined (and canon) legacy into account,Karate Kid: Legends’ connections toCobra Kaibecome harder to find, especially when considering Daniel’s arc in the series foreshadows his retirement from karate. The director’s latest comments, however, offersome hope for both projects to at least be situated within the same universe. Speaking toEntertainment Weekly, Entwistle said he’s “had some really detailed conversations with the Cobra Kai team about just cool stuff that [they] can do in the movie and… make this whole thing feel holistic.”
Karate Kid: Legends Ignoring Cobra Kai Would Be A Huge Mistake
Daniel LaRusso’s Cobra Kai Arc Is Important And Could Inform The Sequel
Deviating fromCobra Kai’s ensemble cast and anti-hero protagonists, Entwistle’s movie puts Li Fong (Ben Wang) at the center, proposing him as thenew official Karate Kidand the main hero going forward. The young character’s similarities to Daniel LaRusso are strong, as he has just moved to a new city with his mother, and has been dealing with some bullies. Though it makes sense that the sequel adopts a story that’s more similar to the original’s themes and protagonist,ignoringCobra Kaiwould undermine a meaningful story in Daniel’s arcthat fans of the franchise have accepted.
Karate Kid: Legends Has The Perfect Chance For A Johnny Lawrence Cameo, But There’s One Big Obstacle
Johnny Lawrence has a special place in the hearts of Karate Kid fans, and his experience and growth make him an ideal fit for Karate Kid: Legends.
Karate Kid: Legendsacknowledging the impact ofCobra Kai’s final season could offer a rich final redemption for Macchio’s character.Cobra Kai’s emphasis on Miyagi’s darker past foreshadows a change for LaRusso that could extend to the sequel. The deteriorated exterior of Miyagi’s house could mean Daniel loses his way after the Sekai Taikai, andKarate Kid: Legendscould see him make peace with the two sides of his mentor.The disparity between locations could also merely respond to the movie’s focus being on its New York setsand not have anything to do withCobra Kainot being canon.
Karate Kid: Legends
Cast
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
