The “Karate Kid” franchise has spanned decades and has become a saga featuring stories of personal growth, redemption and the timeless conflict between virtue and adversity.
Whether you are trying to understand the franchise for the first time, or refreshing your memory, here is a quick history of the franchise and how the latest movie ties into the “Karate Kid” Universe — before “Karate Kid: Legends” comes out on May 30.
The original trilogy
‘The Karate Kid’ (1984)
The film that launches the franchise, “Karate Kid” introduces young Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), a new resident of Los Angeles who quickly becomes the target of local bullies, who just happen to be trained Cobra Kai dojo students.
Daniel’s fortune changes when he meets an unexpected mentor: his apartment building’s handyman, Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita), who is secretly a karate master.
Mr. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in the art of karate to face the Cobra Kai school, led by John Kreese (Martin Kove). But will Daniel learn enough to conquer his bullies?
‘The Karate Kid Part II’ (1986)
After taking down the Cobra Kai school, Daniel and Mr. Miyagi travel to Miyagi’s homeland of Okinawa, Japan.
While there, Miyagi rekindles a feud with an old enemy and Daniel finds both a new love and a new enemy.
In this sequel karate becomes more than just winning a local karate tournament. It encourages Daniel to explore the values of honor, tradition and personal growth within the context of Japanese heritage.
‘The Karate Kid Part III’ (1989)
In the final film of the original trilogy, John Kreese is still recovering from his defeat by Daniel and the collapse of his Cobra Kai dojo.
Seeking revenge against Daniel and Miyagi, he enlists the help of his friend, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), a Vietnam War veteran and ruthless businessman.
Meanwhile, Daniel is encouraged to defend his karate title at the All-Valley tournament. Because Mr. Miyagi refuses to train him, Daniel must turn to another karate expert, Terry Silver, for guidance.
Will Daniel realize Terry’s true motives behind helping him before it is too late?
The spin-off
‘The Next Karate Kid’ (1994)
Mr. Miyagi returns, but this time he isn’t mentoring Daniel.
In this spin-off, Miyagi takes on a new student, Julie (Hilary Swank), a teenage girl struggling with anger issues following the unexpected death of her parents.
Seeing that Julie’s anger is damaging her relationships, Miyagi dedicates time to teaching her the true principles of karate and philosophy to help channel her emotions.
The reboot
‘The Karate Kid’ (2010)
The reboot follows a plot similar to the 1984 version, with a slightly different twist.
Twelve-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) moves to Beijing after his single mother makes a career change.
A fish out of water, Dre struggles to fit in and make friends. He soon befriends Mei Ying (Wenwen Han), but is quickly bullied by Cheng (Zhenwei Wang), a jealous Kung Fu prodigy, intent on keeping the two apart.
Dre seeks guidance and turns Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), the building’s maintenance man and Kung Fu master, who helps the young boy find his inner calm to prepare to face Cheng in an upcoming Kung Fu tournament.
The TV Series
‘Cobra Kai’ (2018-2025)
After a spin-off and a reboot of the original “Karate Kid,” Daniel LaRusso returns 30 years later in the six-season TV series “Cobra Kai.”
Daniel and Johnny Lawrence find themselves reigniting their martial-arts rivalry, as old conflicts resurface and new alliances are formed.
What to look forward to for ‘Karate Kid: Legends’
‘Karate Kid: Legends’ (2025)
In the newest installment of the franchise, “Karate Kid: Legends” follows the story of kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang), as he moves to New York City, where he gains the unwanted attention of a local karate champion.
Li Fong seeks guidance from two legends: his kung fu teacher, Mr. Han, and the original Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso. Together, they prepare Li Fong for yet another martial arts showdown, blending their two techniques to enhance the young student’s abilities.