We Finally Have a Title for the New 'Karate Kid' Movie

The waxing on and waxing off is almost here again, as Sony Pictures' upcoming Karate Kid project has gotten a major update: the film will be officially titled Karate Kid: Legends. The news comes courtesy of a new logo depicting the title for the project, which is set to be released in theaters on May 30, 2025, and features a team-up of two Karate Kid cons: Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, along with a slew of characters to bring the martial arts film to life.

Plot details about the film remain a championship-caliber secret. However, Karate Kid: Legends is expected to blend the story of Macchio, who starred in the original 1984 film The Karate Kid, and Chan, who starred in the 2010 remake of the same name alongside Jaden Smith. Macchio will reprise his role as an adult Daniel LaRusso, the original winner of the All-Valley Karate Championship who is now a martial arts master himself. Chan will once again portray Mr. Han, a man living in China who is secretly a karate master - and who takes Smith's character under his tutelage. It is unknown if Smith will appear in the film, though the cast is known to include Ben Fong , Joshua Jackson, Ming-Na Wen , Shaunette Renée-Wilson, and Aramis Knight.

Karate Kid: Legends finished filming earlier this year. It was directed by Jonathan Entwistle from a script by Rob Lieber. Jaden Smith's parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, produced the film for their Westbrook Studios banner alongside Columbia Pictures and Karen Rosenfelt for Sunswept Entertainment.

'The Karate Kid' Has Expanded into a Franchise

While there has not been a new Karate Kid movie since the 2010 remake, the franchise has expanded in one major way with the Netflix series Cobra Kai . The show, which also stars Macchio alongside a slew of returning characters from the original film, has been wildly successful and saw the return of LaRusso's rival-turned-ally, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Beyond this, it invited new actors into the world, including Xolo Maridueña , Mary Mouser, and others. The last portion of the sixth season of Cobra Kai is also set for a 2025 release.

Though there were other films in the franchise after The Karate Kid, including The Karate Kid Part II, The Karate Kid Part III, and The Next Karate Kid, it was Cobra Kai that truly reinvigorated interest in the franchise for more films. This was especially true given that new movies are seemingly a way to honor Pat Morita, who played LaRusso's legendary teacher Mr. Miyagi in the first four films. While Morita passed away in 2005, his impact on the franchise remains an indelible part of The Karate Kid - and kung fu movies as a genre.

Karate Kid: Legends will be released in theaters on May 30, 2025. Episodes of Cobra Kai are streaming now on Netflix.