Karate Kid: Legends is carrying on the wave of Karate Kid media after the explosive ending of Cobra Kai, bringing the franchise back to the big screen after 15 years. After the 2010 soft reboot film, most people wrote the series off forever, and when the YouTube Red original Cobra Kai was announced, it seemed like a desperate attempt at mining nostalgia to make a profit. However, the show was a huge hit and remains completely responsible for the franchise’s newfound popularity. Legends is now continuing the tradition of connecting all the disparate entries in the Karate Kid series.
While Cobra Kai‘s cast was undoubtedly its biggest strength, a lot of those cast members were people from the previous Karate Kid movies, and the series did a great job at bringing in characters that weren’t fan favorites in their original incarnations and making them integral additions to the franchise. By bringing back Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han, Karate Kid: Legends‘ cast is connecting the original films to the reboot, putting that film back in the spotlight as well. With this connection, the new film has a chance to include a character that even Cobra Kai never could.
Jaden Smith Should Cameo In Karate Kid: Legends Since Jackie Chan Is Returning
It Would Make Sense For The Reboot’s Other Star To Return As Well
In the 2010 Karate Kid reboot, the тιтular karate kid, Dre Parker, is played by Jaden Smith, who is essentially the new version of Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso from the original film. His mentor is Mr. Han, who, again, plays a very similar role to Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, albeit with some differences, which are likely to be expanded upon in Legends. Since Jackie Chan is returning as one of Legends’ central characters, it would make a lot of sense for Smith to show up as Parker, given how deep their bond was.
Why Jaden Smith Never Had A Cameo In Cobra Kai
It Wouldn’t Have Made Sense For His Character To Appear
The original reasoning as to why Smith never appeared in Cobra Kai was that most people ᴀssumed the Karate Kid reboot wasn’t canon to the original films. While it was never a full reboot, as everyone had different names and roles, the idea seemed to be that it was trying to redo the franchise from a fresh starting point. When Cobra Kai started, most people ᴀssumed that the reboot was being tossed aside in favor of bringing the series back to its roots, but clearly, Legends is showing that the two have always existed in the same world.
Another explanation for Smith’s absence from Cobra Kai is that there was simply no real reason for him to appear, as he doesn’t have any connection to the characters or story. Mr. Miyagi and everyone he interacts with and influences in the original films are the central focus of Cobra Kai, and Dre Parker never had any sort of interaction with Miyagi or even knowledge of his existence. Everyone Cobra Kai brought back had some part in the original trilogy, and Smith’s character just didn’t, which would likely make any cameo fall flat.
How A Jaden Smith Cameo In Karate Kid: Legends Could Work
Keep His Strong Bond With Mr. Han Intact
The simplest way to bring Jaden Smith into Legends would be to show that he and Mr. Han are still in contact, keeping in touch with each other even as Mr. Han’s focus shifts to a new student in the form of Li Fong (Ben Wang). This would make sense for their characters, considering how deeply connected they were by the end of their movie, and seeing that they managed to maintain a relationship with each other as strong as Daniel did with Mr. Miyagi throughout their lives would be a great parallel for LaRusso and Han.
Karate Kid: Legendsis set to release on May 30, 2025.
The cameo wouldn’t need to be anything that big; it would probably be best to keep it short, lest it take away from the central story being told. Dre meeting Fong would be a fun character interaction for them both, where they could bond over training under Mr. Han, reminiscent of a lot of moments in Cobra Kai. However, anything more than that would probably be too much, as the story is still about Li Fong’s journey, and Karate Kid: Legends deviating from that plot to show off Jaden Smith’s return could take away from the film’s impact.
