When it first premiered in 1984,The Karate Kidbecame an overnight sensation, spawning a trilogy, two reboots, and even a TV series in the form ofNetflix’sCobra Kai.Cobra Kaistarted out as a little-known plan to reboot a popular ’80s movie. Now that it’s become an international phenomenon, breaking several streaming records over the course of its soon-to-be six seasons on Netflix, it’s time to see what’s in store for the future of the franchise.
Updated December 22nd 2023 byAmanda Minchin:This article was updated with all the recent Karate Kid news.
Will there be aCobra Kai-themed reboot? The answer is, kind of. Sony recently announced they’d be headlining yet another reboot of the franchise, one that seeks input from bothCobra Kaicreators and past stars. Of course, this news has resulted in a lot of speculation. It makes sense that Sony would want to run with theKarate Kid-verse right now all the way to the movie theater after their streaming success. That being said, it also wouldn’t be surprising if the movie had nothing to do withthe acclaimed series.
Here are some potential plot points we might see in futureKarate Kidreboots.
Will the Next Karate Kid Film Be Related to The Cobra Kai TV Series?
Thirty four years after events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso.
The original creators behindCobra Kaihave been 100% behind the idea of making a movie in the universe they’ve created. After all, the Miyagi-Do/Eagle Fang alliance is about to go international with its teaching style, methodology, and skill by competing in the most significant karate tournament on the globe, one that no American unit has ever entered before. A future film would be perfect for this tightly-knit and epic scope of future events.
Related:Netflix’s Cobra Kai: What We Hope to See in Season 6
As it turns out, they’ve had their hands in reviewing each iteration of the new script, which is, in a word, heartening. Whether their notes will be taken, of course, is yet to be seen. It does make sense, however, to include those who have been working in the trenches ofThe Karate Kiduniverse for the past few years. In some cases, they’ve evenproven themselves better than the original. It’s the one recent fans are most familiar with, and, arguably, what first set the spark for more content in the first place. Whether this results in a direct parallel to theCobra Kaistoryline, however, is yet to be seen. Fans will just have to wait to see what unfolds when the last season is dropped sometime in 2024.
Will The Next Karate Kid Be A Flat Out Reboot?
Karate Kid
Perhaps one of the most unimaginative options on the table would be to just flat out re-tell the same story from the first film but with a more modern sensibility and cast. While Sony is busy hyping up its stunningKarate Kidcontinuation, it might not make sense to begin a new branch of its universe without a fresh start that goes back to the beginning. A standalone karate movie with new characters and cast highlighting important modern themes and struggles could be very well received.
Related:Karate Kid Franchise in Order Chronologically and by Release Date
Using an idea that has already been proven to work makes sense. After all, that’s the whole point of adaptations and re-using existing IP. It’s a way to not reinvent the wheel, as the expression goes. It is also about as likely to succeed as it is to fail if examples from Ocean’s Eleven to 2001’sThe Planet of the Apesare any indication. Plus,it’s hardly necessary.
Will The Next Karate Kid Film Focus on a Redemptive Arc?
Another possibility is that the 2024 movieis a spin-offwith one or some of the otherwise supporting characters on their own.The Karate Kidfranchise is all about second chances and redemption. A new film might focus on just that, following an otherwise antagonistic character in a whole new phase of their life.
A good example of this might be focusing on the character of Chozen, a character who goes all the way back to the sequel. Audiences could go back in time, and watch his journey from the big bad guy who tried to kill Daniel LaRusso inThe Karate Kid: Part IIto the lovable and courageous Chozen fromCobra Kaitoday. His triumphant return toCobra Kaihas made Chozen a beloved character, one who long-time fans would clamor over to see on either the big or small screen.
A Mr. Miyagi Origin Story
It wouldn’t be a true discussion of potential future storylines without an origin story. Mr. Miyagi’s backstory would be ripe for the picking with this one. While almost played by acclaimed actor Toshiro Mifune, Pat Morita proved himself worthy of the role after nearlybeing passed up for Mr. Miyagion multiple occasions. Producers worried the comedic actor could not handle the seriousness required for the role but boy, were they wrong! As it turned out, the actor shared a few things in common with his future on-screen role, having been a young Japanese-American boy in the US during WWII himself.
Related:10 Times Actors Took on Roles That Mirrored Their Real-Life Experiences
A Mr. Miyagi origin story could focus on his time in the war and his experiences losing his wife and child, which is alluded to briefly in the first film. His past was a traumatic one, and he overcame it as best he could through his discipline and unwavering optimism. It was this openness that eventually committed him to training LaRusso and others. This would make for a compelling dramatic piece.
While the actor himself is no longer with us, it would not be difficult to cast another Japanese actor, from Ken Watanabe, to Tadanobu Satō, Hiroshi Abe, Takeshi Kaneshiro, to even the seemingly ageless Hiroyuki Sanada. This excellent addition to theKarate Kid-verse wouldn’t interfere with any of theKarate Kidprojects Sony is running. It would just add even more weight and value to the Miyagi-Do legacy. In the meantime, his legacy lives on inCobra Kai’s many references.
Could Hilary Swank Reprise Her Karate Kid Role?
Future films might also choose to take a moreSpider-Man: No Way Homeapproach, bringing back every willing (and living) participant from the franchise’s history. This would include acclaimed actor Hilary Swank, who had a hand in her own reboot in 1994’sThe Next Karate Kid, which included training under the familiar face of Mr. Miyagi. While Mr. Miyagi himself is no longer available, having passed away in 2005, Swank has been known to tackle more than a few hard-hitting roles since then, including the highly decoratedMillion Dollar Baby.
Related:The Next Karate Kid Star Hilary Swank Dodges Cobra Kai Return Question
As for whether she will be asked to reprise it for either the last season ofCobra Kaior the 2024 film is yet to be seen. That being said, she’s claimed to be more than up to the task.
When asked in an interviewonLive with Kelly and Ryanshe had this to say:
“No one’s called me! … but it’s so funny, isn’t it, that’s the one thing I get asked the most and no one’s called me?”
While Swank’s Julie Pierce did not have the best of receptions back in the 90s, fans do seem eager for her to make an appearance nearly thirty years later. Whether it will actually happen, however, is yet to be seen.
Will There Be A New Karate Kid Movie?
Audiences won’t have to wait too long for more Karate Kid stories. Originally set to be released during the 40th anniversary of the original film, but delayed due to the recent strikes, a newKarate Kidfilm, tentatively titledKarate Kid 2024, is set to release sometime in 2024. The new release date is now set for December 13th, 2024. An open video casting call was posted in November 2023 and received thousands of ready and willing applicants within hours.
Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, the new film will also bring together Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and Chan’s Mr. Han. Jaden Smith is also rumored to be involved. Sony has promised a “return to the original Karate Kid franchise”, and will continue the mythology of the original franchise. Whether this will link up with the currentCobra Kaiplot is yet to be seen, though its creators, who have been involved in this venture, have yet to rule anything out just yet.
Related:New Karate Kid Movie Plot details Reportedly Revealed
The plot itself will featurea young fighting student from Beijing, Li, who moves to Brooklyn with his mother for a job opportunity following a tragedy. While his mother hates all things fighting, they find solace in it. In training another fighter, they soon find themselves in the ring. In the spirit of this article, it is also worth noting that Master Li is the name of the primary antagonist in the last film nearly fifteen years earlier.
