“Karate Kid: Legends” arrived in U.S. theaters on May 30, 2025, introducing a new protagonist without featuring any original Cobra Kai characters until a surprise post-credits reunion scene starring William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence.
Director Jonathan Entwistle told The Hollywood Reporter that the absence of familiar faces was a deliberate choice to establish an independent narrative centered on Li Fong, minimizing franchise baggage while still existing within the shared mythos.
Behind the scenes, rights complexities contributed: Netflix holds distribution rights to the Cobra Kai series, but Sony retains ownership of the original film characters, limiting who could appear without extensive legal negotiation.
Entwistle emphasized that “Legends” aims to chart fresh territory by focusing on Li’s journey, even as it nods to legacy through Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han and Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso. The story follows Li (Ben Wang), who relocates from Beijing to New York, befriending a local pizzeria owner’s daughter and entering the Five Boroughs karate tournament under the tutelage of LaRusso and Mr. Han.
In the final scene, LaRusso returns to a faithfully reconstructed Miyagi dojo in California, where Zabka improvised a tongue-in-cheek pitch for a new “Miyagi-Dough” pizza shop, a moment planned from the outset to bridge “Legends” with the recently concluded Cobra Kai series.
Cobra Kai wrapped its sixth and final season on Netflix in February 2025 after 65 episodes, creating space for the film to extend the Karate Kid legacy in cinemas. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Westbrook Studios, and written by Rob Lieber, “Karate Kid: Legends” premiered first in Mexico City on May 8 and in Europe on May 29 before its U.S. launch. Early reviews observed that, aside from the cameo, “Legends” largely disregards Cobra Kai continuity, choosing instead to revisit foundational themes of mentorship and underdog triumph.
Critics have praised the film’s dynamic fight choreography and nostalgic charm but critiqued its formulaic plot as overly reliant on established tropes. Ralph Macchio, reprising Daniel LaRusso at age 62, described the project as a fitting capstone for his character’s on-screen evolution, while Entwistle hinted that future collaborations could arise depending on audience response
Make sure to read our review of Karate Kid: Legends.
