Despite speculations among fans that a well-known character from the Karate Kid series might make an appearance in “Karate Kid: Legends”, it turned out differently. Instead, the movie features Jackie Chan, who starred in the 2010 reboot, Ralph Macchio, the original karate kid, and includes a significant cameo from Cobra Kai. However, the main focus of this new installment in the franchise is on a fresh character named Li Fong, rather than reprising old characters.
In the movie “Karate Kid: Legends”, Ben Wang portrays Li Fong, a teen from Beijing who transfers to New York and eventually participates in a karate competition. Following its premiere, reviews for “Karate Kid: Legends” have been somewhat diverse, but our own Mae Abdulbaki at Ebaster awarded it 7 out of 10 and believes the film demonstrates that the franchise has plenty of untapped potential. Despite the fact that this new installment seems to usher in a fresh chapter for the series, I was hoping that Julie Pierce (played by Hilary Swank) would make an appearance, as she hasn’t been seen since 1994’s “The Next Karate Kid”.
Hilary Swank Does Not Appear In Karate Kid: Legends
Swank’s Character Isn’t Even Mentioned In Karate Kid: Legends
Approaching the premiere of “Karate Kid: Legends“, speculation ran high that Julie Pierce, played by Swank, might make an appearance. Given the film’s ensemble featuring Chan and Macchio, it wouldn’t have been surprising if Julie were included. While Mr. Han (Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) are more recognized characters in the series, Julie Pierce could plausibly be deemed a “legend” as she was the central figure in the fourth Karate Kid film.
| Every Karate Kid Movie | RT Critics Score |
|---|---|
| The Karate Kid (1984) | 81% |
| The Karate Kid Part II (1986) | 49% |
| The Karate Kid Part III (1989) | 18% |
| The Next Karate Kid (1994) | 20% |
| The Karate Kid (2010) | 67% |
| Karate Kid: Legends (2025) | 59% |
The film titled “Karate Kid: Legends” features Mr. Miyagi, who trained both Daniel and Julia. However, in this movie, Mr. Han praises Daniel as Mr. Miyagi’s best student while giving no mention of Julia. This isn’t shocking considering that “The Next Karate Kid” is the least popular movie in the series. Yet, it’s unfortunate that the series persists in overlooking Patricia Swank’s character.
Hilary Swank Has Yet To Return To The Karate Kid Franchise Since Cobra Kai
Swank Didn’t Want To Appear In Cobra Kai
Fans had high expectations that Hilary Swank might reprise her role as Julie Pierce in the series “Cobra Kai”, even though “The Next Karate Kid” was not well-received. However, since “Cobra Kai” was a critically acclaimed show and could have offered an excellent narrative for Swank’s character, it appeared that she might be interested. Nevertheless, Swank made it clear that she had no intention of appearing in “Cobra Kai”. Following the conclusion of the series on Netflix, co-creator Jon Hurwitz admitted that they attempted to bring Hilary Swank into “Cobra Kai” for season 6.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we couldn’t make Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce appear in the final episodes of Cobra Kai. We genuinely wanted it, but it simply didn’t work out. We reached out to her representatives multiple times, yet we never got a chance to talk with her directly. In the end, she chose not to participate at this moment in time. We respect her decision and continue to be avid admirers. To clarify, she wasn’t keen on joining us now. On a positive note, I believe that events unfold as they should, so maybe one day, she’ll rejoin the Miyagiverse.
Despite not appearing in “Cobra Kai” or “Karate Kid: Legends”, fans continued to hope that Hilary Swank might find the new movie appealing. However, it seems that Swank doesn’t make a cameo appearance in “Legends”. This suggests that Julie Pierce may not have been considered for inclusion in “Karate Kid: Legends” or that Swank has chosen not to revisit the franchise.
It’s Annoying That The Karate Kid Franchise Has Yet To Acknowledge Julie Pierce
Nothing Is Known About Julie Pierce Post-The Next Karate Kid
According to Hurwitz’s remarks, it appears that Swank declined the offer to feature in “Cobra Kai”, which is regrettable as the series hasn’t given any updates about Julie Pierce since “The Next Karate Kid”. Even if Swank isn’t keen on reprising her role, perhaps there could have been a mention of what Julie might be doing instead. Unfortunately, both the Netflix series and the latest movie seem to overlook Julie’s existence in the “Karate Kid” universe.
It’s quite unfortunate, given that Julie, Mr. Miyagi’s second most significant disciple after Daniel, has returned to the screen in many of the original films’ continuations. Despite the mixed reception of “Karate Kid: Legends”, it seems unfair to Julie that her character and “The Next Karate Kid” are not even mentioned in passing. This oversight is something I find quite disheartening.
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2025-06-03 14:10