Two worlds collide in the upcoming martial arts film Karate Kid: Legends. Part of The Karate Kid franchise, the upcoming film stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, two actors who starred in different iterations of the original story, thus confirming that the ‘80s classic and the Jaden Smith starrer took place in the same universe.
The franchise found a resurgence with the series Cobra Kai, which saw many characters from the ‘80s films reprise their roles, including Macchio as Daniel LaRusso. However, the new trailer for Karate Kid: Legends, which premiered exclusively at NYCC, reportedly has no mention of Johnny Lawrence’s former dojo.
Where Is Cobra Kai In Karate Kid: Legends?
Ever since a new Karate Kid film was announced with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio in the lead, fans have been excited. Both stars were in two separate iterations of the story, with Chan being in the 2010 remake with Jaden Smith. While Macchio returned to his role as an adult in the Netflix series Cobra Kai, this is the first time fans see Mr. Han in over a decade.
Karate Kid: Legends confirmed that the two iterations and Cobra Kai took place in the same universe. It is unknown at what point Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso is since his fate in Cobra Kai’s final season is yet to be revealed. The upcoming film also sees a new Karate Kid in the form of Ben Wang’s Li Fong.
The recent trailer shown exclusively at NYCC reportedly shows Fong’s incredible martial arts skills, as well as a look at Mr. Han and LaRusso. However, a key reveal seems to be Han’s connection to Mr. Miyagi, LaRusso’s sensei and mentor. There seems to be no mention of Cobra Kai or its members yet in the trailer.
The trailer also reportedly shows Li Fong wearing a headband with a bonsai tree image and is being trained by both LaRusso and Han. This seems to indicate that the film would be focusing more on Ralph Macchio’s mentor and the Miyagi-do style in the original films, as opposed to the balanced perspective in Cobra Kai.
Is the Lack Of Cobra Kai In Karate Kid: Legends A Mistake?
While Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio coming together is a huge draw, the lack of Cobra Kai may not work in favor of the film. It is still the first look of the film and fans still might get more hints after the end of Cobra Kai season 6. However, the film’s focus on Miyagi-do again might be a problem.
One of the reasons for Cobra Kai’s success was its flip on the original The Karate Kid story. Choosing to focus on William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence and his Cobra Kai method of karate and his evolution from that was a huge reason why the show was so loved. Despite its cheesiness, Cobra Kai is a story of redemption and growth.
The series also sees Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso genuinely struggle to keep the core ideas of Miyagi-do in the same tandem as Zabka’s new and improved Cobra Kai method. While Mr. Miyagi’s teachings do help him at his darkest moments, the show establishes that it may not work in every situation.
Karate Kid: Legends may or may not take this route. With a reported $150 million budget and a star like Jackie Chan involved, the film might just keep it safe by telling an age-old story of bullying and using karate for defense only, instead of it being a story of second chances like Cobra Kai.
Cobra Kai is available to stream on Netflix.
