With New York Comic-Con 2024 now in the rear view, some of the fun and games promised on the schedule of upcoming 2025 movies is about to become even more intense. Whether you’re a fan of the Karate Kid franchise or not, it’s not hard to already call Karate Kid: Legends as one of the most anticipated events of next year’s film canon.
Which coincidentally links into my own story with the franchise started with one of the best ‘80s movies, or rather my lack of such background. You see, I’ve never watched The Karate Kid, but after seeing the first trailer for Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan’s epic team-up at NYCC, I’m seriously rethinking that choice. Come and take this journey of the mind with me as we wait for the Karate Kid: Legends trailer to debut to the public together.
Yes, I’ve Never Seen The Karate Kid Movies (Or Cobra Kai)
I know that merely reading the headline for this story you’re probably wondering how an ‘80s baby could even say they haven’t encountered the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). To be fair, I know of the series and the basic concept, and I can recognize a lot of the baseline references. Trust me, if you say “Sweep the leg!” or “Wax on, wax off,” I’ll know what you’re talking about.
So why haven’t I taken the path to catching up with the exploits that have led to what we know about The Karate Kid 6, aka Karate Kid: Legends? The only explanation I can offer is that it just never seemed like my thing. I mean, I haven’t purposely avoided the movies, or even the well-regarded Netflix legacy-quel Cobra Kai. In fact, I've actually shown interest in that continuation series as it continues to take its extended final bow.
Which kind of brings this circle back around to the beginning, because in order to watch William Zabka's life lessons as a reformed martial arts bad boy, I need to watch his origin story, don't I? It's another case of having to do homework in order to be current for class. Thankfully, The Karate Kid legacy isn't as extensive as, say, the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
At the same time, I really haven’t been inspired to jump in, and that’s even with Daniel San being a child from the state of New Jersey like myself. That brings me to last week’s Sony Pictures panel at New York Comic-Con. I expected, and enjoyed, the Venom: The Last Dance clip they showed us, and I even have some newfound enthusiasm for Kraven the Hunter.
However, the biggest surprise was when moderator Josh Horowitz announced that Karate Kid: Legends was going to debut its trailer in front of the crowd at the Empire Stage. After that handful of minutes, I found myself seriously rethinking my lack of experience in this fictional universe, as the footage was that good.
Why Karate Kid Legends’ Trailer Changed My Mind
How much could one trailer really steer a person into jumping into an entire cinematic franchise? Well, if the people behind that first look have done their job, it can be quite effective. Just ask anyone who watched the trailer for The Monkey , which does indeed look like it could be the funniest Stephen King movie ever.
Watching Karate Kid: Legends’ cast at work in this premiere footage, the basics of the story were laid out. Ben Wang’s Li Fong is the protagonist established as being the series’ next young lead in need of guidance of the ways of karate. For reasons not entirely fleshed out yet, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan, reprising his role from The Karate Kid reimagining) tells Daniel LaRusso that this the new Karate Kid is as important to him as Daniel was to Mr. Miyagi.
Cut to a blitz of moments from Ben’s training and snippets of fight-based set pieces with Daniel San ready for action. Tying it all together is an ending that has Daniel summing up this new alliance of senseis in an appropriately profound way:
Two branches…one tree.
This is clearly a teaser, right down to the “Next Year” tease that comes through in the title cards. But in the little bit of Karate Kid: Legends I’ve seen, I think the more serious nature of the series has been sold in a way that finally hit me where I live. Even I, a novice, know that Li Fong is about to have the two best karate teachers in movie history, and it's inspiring to watch
It’s funny that this should happen, as most people would think that they’d move away from sagas such as this. Over time, franchises that were big in the past tend to be scrutinized a bit more when viewed through a modern lens. Also, it doesn't help that The Karate Kid Part III landed itself on our list of ‘80s movies that actually suck.
But even that distinction is easily brushed aside, as Cobra Kai and Karate Kid: Legends have done quite a bit to show the world that what could have been considered a nostalgic delight is as current as ever. That's especially when the early marketing is showing up with looks as fresh as this first teaser poster:
It’s probably a good thing that I have an active Netflix subscription, as not only are all four Karate Kid movies currently streaming on that platform, but so are all current episodes of Cobra Kai. As for that teaser trailer, I sadly can't share that with you at the moment, as it hasn't been released to the public. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Venom: The Last Dance starts to put this beauty into the wild this weekend, so keep your eyes open.
With Karate Kid: Legends opening on May 30, 2025, one would think that I’d have quite a bit of time to catch up. Of course, that depends on how Cobra Kai’s Season 6 Part 2 trailer hits me, as the latest batch of episodes are slated to hit on November 15th, and that advanced look just might be what makes me dedicate a little more time in the here and now to the Karate Kid world. For anyone that's still judging me, ask yourself one question: what major blockbuster franchise blind spots do you have hiding on your watchlist?
