Hilary Swank’s Julie never made an appearance in Cobra Kai, but it would actually make far more sense for her to show up in a potential Karate Kid: Legends sequel. The Netflix spinoff series was all about Karate Kid nostalgia, which is why it brought back several familiar faces from the 1980s franchise. Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso took up the lead, but other characters like Mike Barnes, Ali Mills, and Johnny’s old Cobra Kai buddies made cameo appearances as well. It seemed only a matter of time before The Next Karate Kid‘s protagonist showed up, but it never happened.
The Next Karate Kid was the 1994 follow up to Ralph Macchio’s The Karate Kid movies. Though Daniel was absent, Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi took on a new student, Julie Pierce. Swank’s Julie was ultimately a less popular Karate Kid protagonist than Daniel had been, but she still solidified her place within the overarching franchise. She would have been a welcomed sight in Cobra Kai, where she would be united with Daniel as one of Mr. Miyagi’s past students. While it’s a bit of a disappointment that it never happened, a cameo in Karate Kid: Legends is far more fitting.
If Karate Kid: Legends Gets A Sequel, Hilary Swank’s Julie Should Be In It
She’s The Next Logical Character To Meet Daniel After Mr. Han
Swank’s Julie could have another cameo opportunity in Karate Kid: Legend, but this may not be the best way to do it. The 2025 movie will focus on Mr. Han and Daniel, so there isn’t much room for Swank’s Julie to get the attention she deserves. It would be better if Karate Kid: Legends were to get a sequel, which would then bring Daniel and Julie together to teach a new student. This way, there would be a movie dedicated to Daniel’s introduction to each primary character of the two Karate Kid movies that followed up his own story. It would be perfectly fitting—even more so than cameos in Cobra Kai.
Hilary Swank Returning In A Movie Would Make More Sense Than In Cobra Kai
Swank Is A Movie Star, After All
Cobra Kai was centered around Macchio’s three Karate Kid movies. Swank’s The Next Karate Kid and Jackie Chan’s 2010 The Karate Kid movie were never acknowledged by the Netflix series, so it makes some sense that the characters from these movies never appeared. However, the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends will bring Daniel together with Chan’s Mr. Han, thus bringing the 2010 remake movie into the same universe as the original movie trilogy. As another somewhat disconnected spinoff movie, it makes sense that The Next Karate Kid would get the same treatment.
Karate Kid: Legends will hit theaters on May 30, 2025.
What’s more, an actor like Swank would be better suited to a prominent role in a major motion picture than a cameo appearance in a TV show. The actor was in the early stages of her career when she starred in The Next Karate Kid, but Swank really blew up after her performances in 1999’s Boys Don’t Cry and 2004’s Million Dollar Baby, both of which earned her Academy Awards for Best Actress as well as other accolades. Such a celebrated actor only having a short cameo in a TV series is a bit of a waste. A co-leading role in a new Karate Kid movie is a different story, however.
Karate Kid: Legends’ тιтle Means It Could Be A Franchise Of Standalone Stories
Each Movie Could Explore A New Legend
The тιтle of Karate Kid: Legends is another hint that this would be a better fit for Swank’s The Next Karate Kid character. The “Legends” part seems to refer to Daniel and Mr. Han—or even Macchio and Chan themselves—who have key legacies within the Karate Kid franchise. The new movie is bringing these two together, and the movie’s тιтle leans into this fact. Given this concept, it makes sense that there would be more Karate Kid: Legends to follow, each of which explores a new legendary figure of the franchise on a karate-based adventure within a similar formula.
At this point, the possibilities for Karate Kid: Legends is limitless, and that’s an exciting prospect.
Multiple Karate Kid: Legends movies would also provide a double meaning for the тιтle. Rather than only referring to legendary characters, we could equate the тιтle to “Karate Kid: Stories.” Each movie could stand alone, but they would ultimately all fit together within the same franchise universe. This would mean the door would be open to not only Swank’s Julie, but other characters as well. Perhaps Cobra Kai‘s Johnny Lawrence could make a return down the road, or Chozen and Sensei Kim. At this point, the possibilities for Karate Kid: Legends is limitless, and that’s an exciting prospect.
