In a fresh installment of the cherished martial arts saga that originated more than four decades back, we find ourselves immersed in “Karate Kid: Legends“. This film brings together characters spanning various generations of the “Karate Kid” universe. The narrative revolves around Li Fong, an exceptionally gifted kung-fu practitioner, who finds himself enmeshed in the martial arts scene upon his relocation to New York City. His mentor is Mr. Han, portrayed by Jackie Chan, who made his debut in the 2010 adaptation of “The Karate Kid“. Li Fong also crosses paths with Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) throughout the storyline. The latest martial arts sensation is brought to life by Ben Wang, whose portrayal in “Legends” has garnered widespread acclaim.
The movie “Karate Kid: Legends” made $20.3 million during its opening weekend, which might not have been as much as expected, but it wouldn’t have happened without the TV show Cobra Kai on Netflix. This series brought Daniel and Johnny Lawrence (played by William Zabka) back together as rivals, keeping their stories going, and most importantly, renewing interest in the martial arts franchise. The expansion of the universe is thrilling, but “Karate Kid: Legends” has presented something that makes the future a bit tricky.
Karate Kid: Legends Couldn’t Use Characters Who Originated From Cobra Kai
The Issue Came Down To Property Rights
While Daniel LaRusso is back in the spotlight, “Karate Kid: Legends” features no characters originally introduced in “Cobra Kai”. This separation, as revealed by director Jonathan Entwistle, is more about legalities than creative decisions. Essentially, Netflix holds the creative rights to the “Cobra Kai” characters, whereas Columbia Pictures owns the characters from the “Karate Kid” films. As a result, Entwistle was allowed to use Daniel or other new characters for the standalone film universe, but he was not permitted to incorporate any Netflix-created characters.
In previous statements, it has been made crystal clear that Karate Kid: Legends is not a Cobra Kai movie. Although Li Fong’s story takes place after the events of season 6 of Cobra Kai in chronological terms, they share only this tenuous connection. The distinction between them is further emphasized by the fact that due to legal restrictions, Entwistle was unable to incorporate any characters from the Netflix series.
Future Karate Kid Movies Will Continue Running Into This Cobra Kai Problem
This Will Keep Happening Unless Netflix Makes Another Arrangement
It’s unfortunate that any upcoming Karate Kid movies must exist independently from the Cobra Kai universe. The only ways a future movie could feature Cobra Kai characters are if Netflix decides to produce it or if they reach an agreement with Columbia for a crossover film. Unless either of these situations occur, the Karate Kid movie universe must remain distinct from that of Cobra Kai.
New Karate Kid Movies Not Connecting To Cobra Kai Makes The Franchise’s Future A Tough Sell
It Poses Issues With Canonization
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I must admit that the recent news about the franchise’s future on the film side isn’t exactly what I’d call encouraging. While the latest Karate Kid installment, Legends, has received a mixed response from critics, Cobra Kai, its Netflix counterpart, has been receiving rave reviews.
Given the immense popularity and endearing nature of the characters from Cobra Kai, it seems only logical that a new Karate Kid film could greatly benefit from their inclusion. Without this crossover opportunity, the future of the franchise looks rather bleak, as the plots of potential movies might struggle to captivate audiences without these beloved characters. This is especially true if the focus continues to be on Li Fong alone.
The franchise might feature Johnny Lawrence and develop a storyline involving him and Daniel. Yet, if they can’t allude to the show or discuss their children, this could lead to a significant disjunction within the franchise that would seem quite awkward. This could be disappointing for fans who have followed the Netflix series, as they are acquainted with Johnny and Daniel’s life trajectories. Essentially, Cobra Kai and Karate Kid: Legends may share the same continuity, but without a collaboration between Netflix and Columbia, they might as well be separate entities.
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2025-06-05 17:49