‘ Cast, plot, release date, trailer and news

The The Karate Kid franchise is introduced to a new generation.

Almost 40 years after the original film was released, Sony Pictures announced in September 2022, that the sixth film in The Karate Kid franchise was underway. Karate Kid: Legends is set to hit theaters on May 30, 2025 — and fans can expect to see both new and old faces in the next installment of their favorite martial arts drama.

Wild girls‘ Ben Wang stars as Li Fong, a new kung fu prodigy struggling to fit in after moving from Beijing to New York City. Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio will reprise their roles as Mr. He and Daniel LaRusso. Macchio, who also stars in the Netflix spinoff series Cobra Kai, confirmed to PEOPLE that Karate Kid: Legends will be “canon” and stay true to the rest of the “Miyagi-verse”.

“Mr. Miyagi (played by the late Pat Morita in the original films) was the secret sauce, and that’s why we laced Miyagi throughout Cobra Kai show and he will also have a presence somewhere in other chapters,” the actor said in July 2024 under Cobra Kai premiere.

He added, “For me, this was just about carrying the honesty and the truth of Daniel LaRusso and what Miyagi, his mentor, meant to him, and paying it forward.”

Ahead of the film’s release in 2025, here’s everything to know Karate Kid: Legends.

What is Karate Kid: Legends sore?

The upcoming film will take place in the same universe as the original The Karate Kid film as well as the 2010 reboot starring Jaden Smith. However, it will tell the story of a brand new karate kid played by Wang.

“After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother,” reads the official synopsis. “Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and while he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere.”

The plot description continues: “When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone are not enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han seeks original The Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, fusing their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.”

Who’s in the cast Karate Kid: Legends?

The film already has a star-studded cast. In addition to Macchio and Chan, the cast includes Joshua Jackson (marking his return to the film after a nearly decade-long hiatus), Sadie Stanley, Wyatt Oleff, Shaunette Renée Wilson and Ming-Na Wen – the original voice of Mulan.

Wang, who plays the new karate kid, told Weekly entertainment in December 2024 that he first fell in love with the marriage art movies when he saw the 2010 remake.

“I was the target audience when that movie came out,” he said American born Chinese said the actor. “I was exactly the age of the character. The whole film is set in Beijing, and I had just come back from living in Beijing for a year.”

Wang continued, mentioning his iconic co-star: “I also grew up watching Jackie Chan movies. He’s the first memory I have of knowing what an actor is. It was all my favorite things in one place.”

What has Jackie Chan said about returning to The Karate Kid franchise?

Although he didn’t join the franchise until the 2010 remake, Chan has solidified himself as an iconic part of The The Karate Kid universe. This was told by director Jonathan Entwistle EW that on the set, the Rush hour the actor came up with tons of “little ideas.”

“He was like the magical Dumbledore for us on set and he is in the film,” the director said. “He was always looking for an opportunity to either roll on the floor, roll across a table, jump off a flight of stairs — he’d just say, ‘I’m going to do this.'” None of us ever had a choice. It was like Jackie wanted an idea and we just shot it because it’s Jackie and it was always going to be great.”

Fans excited to see Mr. His return to the big screen is equally saddened by the alleged absence of Smith, who played Dre Parker in the 2010 remake opposite Chan. The rapper has not been listed in any casting announcements and has not commented on the upcoming film.

Who instructs Karate Kid: Legends?

Karate Kid: Legends was directed by Jonathan Entwistle, best known for his work on the hit Netflix series The End of the F***ing World and I’m not okay with thisin which Oleff also participated.

Entwistle told EW that he first read the script in 2022 and was excited to bring two major characters together The Karate Kid the universe which is not yet connected. “One of the things that was really exciting to me when I first read it was this idea of ​​connecting the Jackie Chan character of Mr. Han with Daniel LaRusso, both from the movies and then what (his character ) had been created with Cobra Kai” said the director.

He continued, “Without giving too much away, I can say that Mr. Han and Mr. Miyagi are the connection to Daniel. The Han family and the Miyagi family are connected all the way back to ancient times. And there is a mention of this within The Karate Kid film canon for the people who want to look for it.”

Entwistle posted a picture of the film’s clapboard on Instagram in April 2024 with the caption “Day one “, signaling the start of filming. He too marked the end of the shooting on Instagram in June 2024 with a group photo of the cast and crew.

How is Karate Kid: Legends connected to Cobra Kai?

Karate Kid: Legends takes place after the events of Cobra Kai season 6 finale (which premieres in 2025 and concludes the series).

Entwistle told EW that he was in contact with the show’s creators while making Karate Kid: Legends and that even after all these years, Macchio is still at the center of keeping the franchise true to its roots.

“I was excited about the idea that the movies and the series can all be part of one family,” the director said. “Obviously Ralph is really, really close to it after all these years Cobra Kaiand they have been involved in small steps along the way. Everything we talked about made it into the film in one way or another.”

Is there a trailer for it Karate Kid: Legends?

The Karate Kid: Legends trailer was released on December 17, 2025 and teased how Mr. He and Daniel LaRusso will meet.

When asked how he knew Mr. Miyagi, Han replies, “I didn’t come looking for Sensei Miyagi. I came looking for you.”

When will Karate Kid: Legends be released?

Karate Kids: Legends will be released in theaters on May 30, 2025.

Where can I see The Karate Kid franchise?

You can stream The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II, The Karate Kid Part III and The next Karate Kid on Netflix as well as all six seasons of the series Cobra Kai.

The Karate Kid The 2010 remake starring Chan and Smith is also available on Netflix, but will leave the platform on December 31, 2024.