Karate Kid: Legends need to live up to the expectation of the previous Karate Kid films

Karate Kid: Legends is set to bring back the beloved franchise. So, its fans are bound to have high expectations from this update.

The first film, which came out in 1984, has become a pop culture milestone from the 1980s. It gave birth to the iconic characters of Daniel LaRusso and his Karate trainer, Mr Miyagi. Over the years, it developed a devoted fanbase that will know almost every incident by heart. Later, it discovered a new set of fans from the 2010 update, which showed Jaden Smith's Dre learning from Jackie Chan's Mr Han.

Most recently, the franchise was revamped through Cobra Kai, a web series that was eventually acquired by Netflix. This reboot brought the characters from the original 1984 film but put an interesting spin on it. The narrative approach deviated from the franchise's known ways of storytelling. As we look at the franchise, it leads us to a certain set of expectations from Karate Kid: Legends, about its tone and the relationship between a pupil and a mentor.

Let's dive right into why Karate Kid: Legends needs to live up to the legacy of the franchise's previous films.

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How will Karate Kid: Legends compare to the previous Karate Kid films? Answer explored

Karate Kid: Legends is scheduled to be released on May 30, 2025, and is about to bring the franchise's famed characters back to the screen. It will show Jackie Chan's Mr. Han joining hands with Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso, aka the OG Karate Kid. While Macchio appeared in the pioneering trilogy, Chan came later in the picture through the 2010 remake. The former played a trainee while the latter played an esteemed trainer. Now, the two are going to train the new rising face in the universe, Li Fong (being played by Disney+'s American Born Chinese fame Ben Wang).

Karate Kid: Legends recently released trailer shows Li as a kung fu prodigy in a slightly different tale than its predecessors. Based on the project details shared so far, Li struggles to fit into the new environment of New York City, where he moves with his mother. Uprooted from his home in Beijing for yet undisclosed reasons, he likely hopes to carve a new identity. As the film's logline suggests, he decides to help his friend by entering a Karate competition. That's where Chan and Macchio's characters come into the picture. They teach him to blend the two fighting styles for the later matches.

Judging by the trailer, Karate Kid: Legends appears more serious than majorly self-referential Cobra Kai. The web series, which also brought iconic Karate Kid characters back to the screen, used a self-aware narration approach. It is mostly filled with references to the franchise's past, much like MCU's cherished Deadpool films. Unlike that, Karate Kid: Legends appears rather like a serious drama revolving around Li's pursuit to prove himself in a foreign environment.

It sets itself apart from the first Karate Kid film that followed an underdog overcoming his struggles. The film showed LaRusso trying to prove himself against a local bully. It had lighthearted moments of humor, here and there, as they usually appear in traditional coming-of-age tales. However, the upcoming film's trailer promises a different picture.

It looks like Karate Kid: Legends will rely partially on the franchise's nostalgic elements like Cobra Kai but will highlight other elements instead of humor, be it self-referential or lighthearted. The focus appears to be on more serious themes like identity struggles besides the action sequences. While all these elements might make the film compelling, it needs more to be worthwhile - since it is potentially bringing a new face to the franchise.

According to the Rotten Tomatoes consensus, the 1984 film worked emotionally because it was "warm and sincere" and featured "Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio's relaxed chemistry." So, Karate Kid: Legends has this high benchmark set, to live up to the previous films' reputation.