May 8, 2025 (Mexico City)
May 30, 2025 (United States)
Karate Kid: Legends is a 2025 American martial arts drama film directed by Jonathan Entwistle and written by Rob Lieber. It is the sixth film in The Karate Kid franchise following the 2010 film of the same name and is set after the events of the television series Cobra Kai (2018–2025). It stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, both reprising their roles from the franchise, while introducing Ben Wang as the main lead alongside Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Ming-Na Wen. It is the first film in the series not to be produced by Jerry Weintraub, who died in 2015. It is also the first PG-13 rated entry in the Karate Kid film series.
The film was confirmed to be in development in September 2022, with Entwistle set to direct and Lieber set to write the screenplay in November 2023. It serves as a continuation to the original films of the franchise and Cobra Kai, which starred Macchio, and the 2010 film starring Chan, merging them in a single shared universe. Casting took place from November 2023 to April 2024. Filming took place from April to June 2024.
Produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, Karate Kid: Legends premiered in several South American countries on May 8, 2025, and in Europe and Scandinavia on May 29, 2025, and was released in the United States on May 30. It received mixed reviews from critics.
Storyline
Mr. Han is the revered shifu (master) of a large wuguan (kung fu school) in Beijing, China, with many young students learning his ancient way of kung fu. Among them is his great-nephew Li Fong, a quiet teenager living in the wuguan and hiding from his mother, a doctor who soon arrives to bring him back. She accepts a job position in New York City and makes Li promise to give up martial arts and violence before they leave China, after Li's brother was stabbed to death by thugs led by his defeated rival.
Li struggles to adjust and is unable to make friends at school. He meets Mia Lipani, the daughter of Victor Lipani, a former boxer turned traditional Italian pizzeria owner. Li and Mia develop a romantic relationship, but they are confronted by Conor Day, Mia's aggressive ex-boyfriend and champion fighter at a local dojo known for its underground-style karate competitions. Conor violently beats Li, prompting his mother to assign him a tutor named Alan, whom Li befriends.
Li eventually clashes again with Conor; though he defends himself, Conor is a stronger fighter. Li attempts to use a flying kick he once learned from his older brother, but Conor counters it, exploiting Li's vulnerability mid-air, defeating him.
One night, Li witnesses Victor being attacked by thugs sent by his creditor, O'Shea, who also happens to own the Demolition dojo and is Conor's karate sensei. Forced to intervene, Li defeats the attackers. Grateful, Victor confides in Li that he once boxed professionally and, planning a comeback to pay off his debt and save the pizzeria, asks Li to train him. Though hesitant at first, Li agrees, believing he will not be fighting himself. Li later becomes Victor's employee in his pizzeria.
During Victor's comeback match, the opponent, following orders from O'Shea, knocks him out with illegal hits, sending Victor to a hospital where Li's mother works. Li, paralyzed by memories of his brother's death, fails to step in, earning Mia's disappointment.
Avoiding Mr. Han's calls, Li finally reconnects when Mr. Han arrives in New York. Learning the truth, Mr. Han encourages Li to enter the upcoming Five Boroughs Tournament, both to help his friends and to confront his past. Han visits Los Angeles to ask Daniel LaRusso for help, revealing that he once stayed at Mr. Miyagi's home and was inspired by the stories of Daniel's journey. Though hesitant, Daniel joins them in New York.
Li trains under both kung fu from Mr. Han and Miyagi-Do karate defense from Daniel, while bonding with his tutor Alan, who has just lent Li his rooftop garden with pet pigeons as his makeshift training ground. Mr. Han and Daniel develop a new variation of Li's brother’s flying kick: a feint that lures his opponents into a counterattack, which Li can then dodge and reverse. After many failed attempts, Li finally masters the move.
In the tournament finals, held on a rooftop, Li and Conor face off in an intense eight-point match. Tied at seven, Li lands the final blow using the adapted flying kick, winning the match and overcoming his fear. Conor retaliates, but Li swiftly defeats him and shows mercy, earning him Conor's respect.
Later, Victor opens a second pizzeria location with Mia, and Mr. Han returns to China. A pizza delivery sent by Li as a thank-you gift reaches Los Angeles, where Daniel shares a slice with Johnny Lawrence, who mocks the idea of ordering New York pizza to L.A., claiming West Coast pizza is better and pitches a new business idea: a dojo-themed pizzeria called Miyagi-Dough, much to Daniel's chagrin.
Also See
- The Karate Kid (1984)
- The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
- The Karate Kid (TV Series)
- The Next Karate Kid (1994)
- The Karate Kid (2010)
- Cobra Kai
Movie Trailer
- Karate Kid: Legends (2025) (Trailers)
Sound Effects Used
- Cipha Sounds Air Horn
- Hollywoodedge, Cats Fighting Loud Sc PE917007/Cats Two Angry YowlsD PE022601 (2nd yowl; used once for an offscreen cat just before O'Shea's thugs show up in the alley.)
- Hollywoodedge, Lincoln Town Car In Sk PE073501
- Sound Ideas, BELL, SCHOOL - SCHOOL BELL: EXTERNAL: SINGLE RING
- Sound Ideas, Combat Distant Explosions - Various explosions and reverberations in the distance