The first Karate Kid movie was released in June 1984, and 40 years later the franchise is still going strong with the Cobra Kai series on Netflix and the film, Karate Kid: Legends, coming soon. The original movies followed Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) as he trained in karate and overcame those bullying him. Another Karate Kid movie in 2010 saw Jaden Smith play a similar character, though he studied kung fu instead of karate. Now, after over a decade, a new Karate Kid aims to join those two worlds.

Sony has announced Karate Kid: Legends is on the way, and promises a “return to the original Karate Kid franchise” with the new movie. Finally tying 2010’s movie with the larger franchise, Legends brings back Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso as well as Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han, and establishes a new тιтular character who will learn martial arts from both men. Building off of the success of Cobra Kai, Karate Kid: Legends proves that the beloved ’80s franchise still has power in the modern day, and could indicate more movies in the near future.

The Most Recent Karate Kid: Legends News

A New Trailer For Legends Arrives After CinemaCon

Though a trailer debuted at 2025’s CinemaCon, the latest news finds a different trailer dropping for Karate Kid: Legends that same week. Based on descriptions of the footage shown at the annual convention, the trailer released by Sony is different, and opens with the new young hero, Li, moving to New York with his mother. He struggles to make friends and clearly longs to get back into the world of martial arts, even though his mother forbids it. However, when Li learns of a major tournament, he begins to train with Mr. Han.

Han decides that his kung fu training is insufficient, and wants Li to learn the Miyagi way from his most famous pupil, Daniel LaRusso. Han manages to convince the reluctant LaRusso to come across the country to New York to help train the youngster, adding his brand of karate to Li’s kung fu skills.

Karate Kid: Legends Release Date

The New Karate Kid Arrives In May 2025

Karate Kid: Legends originally had a release date of June 7, 2024. That would have put it releasing during the 40th anniversary month of the first Karate Kid movie’s release. With Sony shifting its release schedule over the next year because of the Hollywood strikes, the Karate Kid reboot’s release date was pushed back to December 2024. Now, Karate Kid: Legends has been pushed once again, and will now be released on May 30, 2025.

Karate Kid: Legends Cast

Characters From All Generations Of The Karate Kid Franchise Will Appear

The first major casting came when it was announced that Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan would both appear in the film, reprising their previous roles from the franchise. Macchio will be back in his familiar role as Daniel from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai, and Jackie Chan will be back as Mr. Han from the 2010 Karate Kid remake. This move confirms that all eras of the Karate Kid franchise are not only canon but will be represented in the new movie as well.

The duo of Macchio and Chan appeared in an official video from Sony Pictures in which they announced a worldwide casting call for the role of the тιтular Karate Kid. Just a few months later, the search concluded with American Born Chinese star Ben Wang being tapped to appear as Li Fong, the lead character. Other names have since been added to the cast such as Ming-Na Wen, who will play Li Fong’s mother. Also, Sadie Stanley will play Mia, the romantic interest of Ben Wang’s тιтle character, while Dawson’s Creek alum Joshua Jackson will play her father, Victor.

A list of known cast members includes:

Actor	Karate Kid Role
Jackie Chan	Mr. Han
Ralph Macchio	Daniel LaRusso
Ben Wang	Li Fong
Sadie Stanley	Mia
Ming-Na Wen	Li Fong’s Mother
Joshua Jackson	Victor
Wyatt Oleff	Unknown
Aramis Knight	Conner
Shaunette Renée Wilson	Ms. Morgan

Karate Kid: Legends Story

A New Karate Kid Will Rise

Though full details haven’t been revealed yet, it is known that Karate Kid: Legends will follow a teen from China who studies under the tough but fair teaching of Chan’s Mr. Han. Han will travel to California to seek out Daniel LaRusso in order to learn the teachings of the late Mr. Miyagi through him. Things aren’t all hunky-dory though, and a new group of ruffians will target Li Fong (for unknown reasons at this point) and that will necessitate more than a few exciting martial arts battles.

Karate Kid: Legends Trailer

Watch The Full Trailer Below

In December 2024, a full trailer for Karate Kid: Legends was revealed that finally gave away some plot details about the highly-anticipated movie. The two-minute trailer introduces Li Fong, Mr. Han’s newest student, who travels with his mentor to train under Daniel LaRusso, who knows the teachings of Miyagi. New villains arrive and threaten Li Fong, and this all builds toward an epic rooftop martial arts clash.

Soon after Sony presented at 2025’s CinemaCon in April, a second trailer for Karate Kid: Legends was released which shines a bit more light on the new film. It opens with Li Fong and his mother moving to New York, where the newcomer struggles to fit in and find friends. He meets Mia, who quickly notices his love for martial arts, and mentions a major tournament. Even though Li Fong’s mother forbids fighting, he begins to train with Mr. Han, who decides to bring in Daniel LaRusso to teach Li the ways of Mr. Miyagi.