Does Karate Kid: Legends have similarities with a previous Karate Kid film

Karate Kid: Legends is bringing a new fighter into its long-winding franchise, but its storyline might be similar to a previous Karate Kid film.

The first Karate Kid film came out in 1989 and introduced the world to the endearing relationship between Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi. Ralph Macchio played the young, ambitious fighter and Pat Morita played his charismatic trainer. They formed their bond over the course of the next three films, but the fourth film brought another student into the equation. After that, some fans might have felt that Mr. Miyagi doesn't talk enough about Daniel. They may have found it odd, considering the strong bond between them.

Karate Kid: Legends is bringing Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso to the other side of the equation as he will be a part of the guiding team for the new Karate Kid, Li Fong. Daniel will be helping out Jackie Chan's Mr. Han, who previously appeared in the Jaden Smith-led reboot from 2010. That film followed Smith's Dre Parker learning valuable lessons from Mr. Han. However, Mr. Han doesn't mention Dre, at least in the trailer. So, it makes the fans wonder whether the film will be similar to the Hillary Swank-led 1994 film where the master doesn't speak much about his previous trainee.

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Karate Kid: Legends: Does it have any narrative roots in the previous Karate Kid projects?

Karate Kid: Legends will show the two worlds crashing together for the franchise fans as Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso will be appearing on the screen with Jackie Chan's Mr. Han. Previously, they have appeared in different iterations of this trainee-trainer dynamic.

Ralph Macchio was in the franchise's first three films, whereas Jackie Chan was in Harald Zwart's entertaining reboot from 2010. Karate Kid: Legends will show them together in the same film. The trailer for this upcoming film partially offers a deja vu for the fans who have grown up loving Daniel LaRusso's films.

The initial Karate Kid trilogy portrayed a strong bond between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, which Mr. Han briefly talks about in the trailer. While that is well and good, he does not mention Drey Parker or the bond they have previously established. So, it makes the fans wonder whether Mr. Han has forgotten about his past disciple.

In the 1994 film, Mr Miyagi doesn't forget Daniel and briefly mentions him in a dialogue or two, but he doesn't speak about Daniel often - the way the fans would have expected him to. So, in this context, Karate Kid: Legends might be similar to the previous film. Still, there is a chance that the film will mention Dre or bring him back in a cameo appearance even though such details have not been confirmed yet.