The legendary Karate Kid franchise returns with a new installment that connects generations, traditions, and martial styles.
The Karate Kid: Legends opens in theaters in Spain on August 8, 2025, following a run in Mexico City and its debut in the United States and Canada in May. Its release was delayed due to the writers' and actors' strikes in 2023.
This new film is a cinematic event that unites the classic and modern Karate Kid universes, with Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their iconic roles.
The film aims to bridge the gap between the original saga, the 2010 reboot, and the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai.
Cast: legends and new promises
The cast combines legendary figures with young talents.
Jackie Chan reprises his role as Mr. Han, the mentor from the 2010 version, while Ralph Macchio returns as Daniel LaRusso, the original protagonist.
Young Ben Wang plays Li Fong, the new hero of this generation.
Rounding out the cast are Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Wyatt Oleff, Shaunette Renée Wilson, and Ming-Na Wen as Li's mother.
Synopsis and central message
The story follows Li Fong, a teenage kung fu prodigy who moves from Beijing to New York City after a family tragedy, facing grief, displacement, and bullying in a new environment.
Although he tries to avoid conflict, when a friend needs help, Li decides to enter a karate competition.
Mr. Han trains him with his usual discipline, but soon enlists the help of Daniel LaRusso to merge kung fu and karate styles. Through this shared teaching, Li finds inner balance and the strength to confront his fears and his past.
The film explores themes of respect, redemption, cultural migration, and self-improvement, recapturing the humanistic spirit that made The Karate Kid a contemporary fable.
Connection to the franchise and Cobra Kai
The Karate Kid: Legends acts as a bridge film linking the classic trilogy, the 2010 reboot, and the Cobra Kai series.
It is set three years after the end of the sixth and final season of the series, and although it does not follow its plot directly, it returns to its universe for a new story.
Official trailer
The trailer showcases key moments of training between Li Fong, Mr. Han, and Daniel LaRusso, and teases an emotional development for the protagonist.
The scenes highlight the fusion of martial styles and generations, combining action with moments of introspection.
Production and curiosities
The film was shot primarily in Montreal, Canada, which served to represent both New York and China, demonstrating the production team's adaptability.
During filming, Jackie Chan dislocated his shoulder in an action scene, but surprised everyone by putting it back in place and continuing filming without pause, a moment that left the director amazed by his professionalism and resilience.
It was directed by Jonathan Entwistle and the script is by Rob Lieber, with music by Dominic Lewis.
A reinterpreted legacy
The Karate Kid already existed since the 60s, and is a superhero who appears in the DC Comics universe, as a member of the young Legion of Superheroes, from there they took the name and the Zen values of the character who debuted in the 1984 film, directed by John G. Avildsen, who gave a new meaning to the title, transforming it into a symbol of inner growth with Daniel San (Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) as endearing figures.
In Cobra Kai, the adult Daniel appears more rigid, but this evolution adds nuances to the universe without betraying its essence.
The Karate Kid: Legends serves as an epilogue and a renewal, with Li Fong as the spiritual heir to the legacy: a brilliant, shy young man scarred by the trauma of having lost his older brother to violence.
The Karate Kid: Legends doesn't seek to revolutionize cinema, but rather to offer an honest, emotional story that's true to the heart of the franchise.
With an eye to the past and a look to the future, it pays homage to its roots and offers a story of healing, learning, and rediscovery. Because true victory lies not in the trophy, but in the personal journey.
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