Different eras and multiple generations of Karate Kid are now packed into one film- how cool that will be! That is what’s promised by the director- a legacy-fueled cinematic ride that bridges generations of the beloved Miyagi-verse.
The Karate Kid Legends trailer has just been released, and it takes us back to the old days when the first Karate Kid movie came out. Both Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio will be seen reprising their roles as Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso, respectively. Our excitement for this release is off the charts.
Plot details of Karate Kid: Legends
Karate Kid: Legends takes place three years after the Cobra Kai ending. It is a spin-off in the Karate Kid universe. It is different from Cobra Kai though, the director verified. The same is substantiated by Macchio, discussed here afterward.
The story revolves around a Kung Fu marvel, Li Fong (played by Ben Wang) relocates to New York City, which the trailer does not disclose why, and he enjoys being in an esteemed school. He loves his life with his mother in the new city and a new friendship.
His newfound comfort seems temporary when a local karate champion goes against him. Li Fong knows that he needs to defend himself, so he starts preparing for an upcoming karate championship with the help of kung fu teacher Mr. Han (played by white-haired Jackie Chan) and the legendary karate kid himself, Daniel LaRusso (played by Ralph Macchio).
How Li Fong learns unique karate styles and goes through rigorous training, watch in the trailer below:
Another upcoming full of action film is Havoc, in which Tom Hardy is an action ruffian.
Director’s vision for the film
Karate Kid: Legends is the feature debut of director Jonathan Entwistle. He has previously directed several episodes of the Netflix series The End of the F***ing World and I Am Not Okay With This.
He told People that the film is set after the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai. He needed to create a significant balance between film and television series. Entwistle explained,
“They are both part of the Karate Kid universe — without Karate Kid, there would be no Cobra Kai.” [Source]
With a new set of characters and a fresh direction of the Karate Kid mythology, the director wanted to make it feel like most recent and relevant in contemporary times.
He further unfolded that he wanted Wang’s character to “feel like a young Jackie Chan” who is energetic about his ambitions and has the same energy while he fights. It was evident in the trailer in several humorous fight scenes between 70-year-old Jackie Chan and Wang.
Talking about the fight, Wang revealed that the fight sequences even have a story to tell. It’s like watching storytelling in the entire fighting scene. The director corroborated the fact that Wang, known for Mean Girls (2024) and American Born Chinese (2023), was training all day with the experts for his Chinese stunts.
The director uncovered that they made use of classic Hong Kong wirework. It implies that the true hallmark of the ultimate Jackie Chan thing is infused in this movie as well.
Does the Karate Kid Legends trailer bring back all the feels?
The younger generations might not be familiar with that electrifying experience, but the director had made sure this time that with his first attempt at a feature-length film, he sticks to the traditional “in-camera martial-arts approach” rather than the heavy fight scenes carrying VFX fight augmentation as in Marvel flicks.
And of course, a film cannot be a Jackie Chan epitome when it does not have humor. The comedic beats combined with fight sequences give the same dope thrill that we used to have while watching Jackie Chan in our childhood days.
Entwistle ensured that this generation needs to see what a human body can do without the use of AI, and that fighting can be taken as a narrative in storytelling. For example, the viewers will have to figure out, as Entwistle puts it, “Does he pick up a thing off the floor and use that?” cited by Empire.
Ralph Macchio on working in Karate Kid: Legends
Ralph Macchio admitted that coming back to the Karate Kid franchise wasn’t an easy decision, but ultimately, he felt that it was the right one. After spending time on Cobra Kai, he believed that he was “protecting the Daniel LaRusso character”, via JoBlo.
He validated what the director initially told that Cobra Kai and Karate Kid: Legends are “separate ecosystems,” and that is when he understood the real meaning of the film. He knew that the film has the capability of making the younger generation understand the importance of passing down a legacy.
The younger audience needs to interpret the film’s focus on themes like good vs. evil and watching with their own eyes what a human mind and body are capable of. They are limitless once tamed to a certain level, rather than believing the VFX-generated actions are the true sense of power.
Although, we can’t wait to see the chemistry between Macchio and Chan that feels authentic and nostalgic even in the trailer, Ben Wang’s casting is a smart choice as Li Fong’s journey could resonate with Gen Z much like Daniel’s did in the ’80s.
When is Karate Kid: Legends releasing?
Sony Columbia Pictures will release Karate Kids: Legends on May 30, 2025.
Genre: Martial arts, teen drama, action, family, sport
Cast: Jackie Chan, Joshua Jackson, Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, Sadie Stanley
Director: Jonathan Entwistle
Writers: Rob Lieber, Robert Mark Kamen
Producers: Karen Rosenfelt, James Lassiter
Release date: May 30, 2025
Movie runtime: – –
We can’t wait for this epic ride! Are you equally excited? Let us know in the comments below.
Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
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