The kids of Cobra Kai may be grown-up now, but the Karate Kid franchise is now gearing up for the next generation of butt-kicking teens.
Karate Kid: Legends is set to release next year, and a new trailer has been dropped featuring Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, and the new series lead Ben Wang. Check this out:
The official description reads:
In Karate Kid: Legends, after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere.
When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
The story pretty much mirrors the original Karate Kid where they take a bullied young teen and turn him into a martial arts fighter. With the story having taken place in Los Angeles and China, now the story is set in the Concrete Jungle of New York City.
I have to admit, Cobra Kai feels like the definitive sequel to the Karate Kid franchise, but this one does have an interesting premise that it brings together the worlds of the Macchio-led universe and the one that once starred Jaden Smith.
So far, Ben Wang does seem like he has the chops to be the next lead after Xolo Mariduena. I just hope that the movie acknowledges Johnny Lawrence one way or another.
Karate Kid: Legends is set to hit theaters on May 30, 2025.
