“Karate Kid: Legends”: All About the Sixth “Karate Kid” Film (Starring Franchise Icons Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio!)

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

Almost 40 years after the original movie was released, Sony Pictures announced in September 2022 that the sixth film in The Karate Kid franchise was in the works. Karate Kid: Legends is set to hit theatres 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.  

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

Related: The Cast of The Karate Kid: Where Are They Now?

"Mr. Miyagi [played by the late Pat Morita in the original movies] was the secret sauce, and that's why we've laced Miyagi throughout the Cobra Kai show, and he will have a presence somewhere in other chapters as well," the actor said in July 2024 during the Cobra Kai premiere.

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

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

What is Karate Kid: Legends about?

The upcoming film will be set in the same universe as the original Karate Kid films as well as the 2010 reboot that starred Jaden Smith. However, it will tell the story of an entirely 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," the official synopsis reads. "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."

The plot description continues, "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 enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown."

Who is in the cast of Karate Kid: Legends?

The film already has a star-studded cast lined up. In addition to Macchio and Chan, the cast includes Joshua Jackson (marking his return to film after almost a 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 Entertainment Weekly in December 2024 that he first fell in love with the marital arts films when he saw the 2010 remake.

"I was the target audience when that movie came out,” the American Born Chinese actor said. “I was exactly the age of the character. That whole movie takes place in Beijing, and I'd just come back from living for a year in Beijing."

Wang continued, mentioning his iconic costar: "Also, I grew up watching Jackie Chan movies. He is the first memory I have of knowing what an actor is. It was all of my favorite things in one place."

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

Though he didn’t join the franchise until the 2010 remake, Chan has solidified himself as an iconic part of The Karate Kid universe. Director Jonathan Entwistle told EW that on set, the Rush Hour actor came up with tons of “tiny ideas."

“He was like the magical Dumbledore to us on set, and he's like that in the movie too,” the director said. “He was always looking for an opportunity to either roll on the floor, roll over a table, jump off a staircase — he would just be like, ‘I will do this.’ None of us ever had a choice. It was like, Jackie would have an idea, and we just filmed it because it's Jackie, and it would always be awesome.”

Fans who are thrilled to see Mr. Han return to the big screen are equally upset about the alleged absence of Smith, who played Dre Parker in the 2010 remake opposite Chan. The rapper hasn’t been listed in any casting announcements and hasn’t commented on the upcoming film.

Who is directing Karate Kid: Legends?

Karate Kid: Legends was directed by Jonathan Entwistle, best known for his work on Netflix’s hit series The End of the F***ing World and I Am Not Okay With This, which Oleff also starred in.

Entwistle told EW that he first read the script in 2022 and was excited about bringing together two major characters from the Karate Kid universe who have yet to be 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 subsequently what [his character] had become with Cobra Kai,” the director said.

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 the old times. And there is a mention of this within the Karate Kid movie canon for those people who want to go looking for it."

Entwistle posted a photo of the movie's clapperboard on Instagram in April 2024, with the caption "Day One 🥋 🍕," signaling the start of filming. He also marked the end of 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 in the Cobra Kai season 6 finale (which premieres in 2025 and will conclude the series).

Related: Why Is Cobra Kai Ending With Season 6? What the Intense Cliffhanger Means for Part 3 — and Why a Miyagi Spinoff Is a Possibility

Entwistle told EW that he was in touch 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 films and the series can all be part of one family,” the director said. “Obviously, Ralph is really, really close to it after all those years on Cobra Kai, and they've been involved in little steps along the way. Everything we talked about made it into the movie in some way or other."

Is there a trailer for Karate Kid: Legends?

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

When asked how he knew Mr. Miyagi, Han replies, “I did not 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 watch 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 show Cobra Kai.

The Karate Kid 2010 remake with Chan and Smith is also available on Netflix but is leaving the platform on Dec. 31, 2024.

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