The Karate Kid (franchise)

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The Karate Kid
TheKarateKidLogo.png
Created by Robert Mark Kamen
Original work The Karate Kid (1984)
Owner Columbia Pictures Industries
(Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Years1984–present
Films and television
Film(s)
Television series Cobra Kai (2018–present)
Animated series The Karate Kid (1989)
Games
Video game(s)
Audio
Soundtrack(s)
Miscellaneous
Character(s) List of characters

The Karate Kid is an American martial arts drama franchise created by Robert Mark Kamen. The series follows the journey of various coming-of-age teenagers who are taught in the ways of martial arts by an experienced mentor in order to stand up for themselves after being bullied, or assert their dominance towards others.

Contents

The original film series began as a tetralogy, starting with the release of The Karate Kid (1984), after the success of which three sequels were produced: The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and The Next Karate Kid (1994). In 2010, a remake with a similar storyline but with a different set of characters, was released. Despite maintaining the original title, the remake focused on kung fu, as the film was set in China. A sixth film, Karate Kid , with Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio reprising their original roles from the previous films, is scheduled to be released in late 2024.

Cobra Kai (2018–present) offers a continuation of the story that begins in the original films of the 1980s and 1990s created, three decades later. While directly based on Kamen's characters, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg created this series.

An animated series, as well as tie-in video games among other pieces of merchandise, have also been released alongside the films.

Films

The Karate Kid (1984)

Daniel LaRusso and his mother have just moved to Reseda, Los Angeles from Newark, New Jersey at the start of the school year. Befriending classmate Ali Mills, he comes into conflict with Ali's ex-boyfriend and star pupil of the "Cobra Kai" dojo Johnny Lawrence and his gang. After being beaten up by the Cobra Kai gang in an after-school fight, Daniel finds an unlikely friend and karate sensei in his apartment complex's handyman, Mr. Miyagi, a proficient karate master. Making a deal with Johnny's merciless sensei, John Kreese, to end the fighting, Miyagi trains Daniel to compete at the All-Valley Karate Tournament.

The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

Immediately following the All-Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny is attacked by his furious sensei, John Kreese, in the parking lot. Mr. Miyagi intervenes, rescuing Johnny and passively humiliating Kreese in the process. Six months later, Miyagi receives a letter about his ailing father and plans to return to his home village on Okinawa Island. With Daniel in tow, Miyagi's past catches up with him as an old rivalry with a former friend is reignited.

The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

Six months after the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out John Kreese visits his Vietnam War comrade, rich businessman Terry Silver. Silver sends Kreese on vacation to Tahiti, promising to re-establish the Cobra Kai dojo and get revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. Meanwhile, Daniel and Miyagi have returned home from Okinawa to find Daniel's apartment building being demolished and his mother back in New Jersey taking care of a sick relative; Miyagi invites Daniel to stay with him. When Miyagi refuses to train Daniel to defend his title at the tournament, Daniel happens across Silver who offers to train him Cobra Kai-style.

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

Mr. Miyagi (the only character from the previous films to return) travels to Boston, Massachusetts in order to attend a commemorative service in for the Japanese-American soldiers who fought in the 442nd Infantry Regiment in World War II. While there, he reacquaints with Louisa Pierce, the widow of his commanding officer. Louisa introduces him to his rebellious teenage granddaughter Julie, whose anger issues – resulting from her parents' deaths – make life difficult for Louisa. Offering to help, Miyagi sends Louisa to his home in Los Angeles for respite while he works to mentor Julie. Julie initially rebuffs Miyagi's help, but warms to him after coming into conflict with the leader of her school's shady security fraternity, Ned.

The Karate Kid (2010)

In this remake of the 1984 film, Dre Parker and his mother move from Detroit to Beijing after she transfers jobs from a car factory in the city. He befriends Meiying, a young musician who goes to his school, but draws the unwanted attention of Cheng, a kung fu prodigy whose family is close to Meiying's. Cheng and his friends relentlessly bully Dre at school to keep him away from Meiying, resulting in a fight on a school field trip where Dre is beaten up before being saved by his apartment building's maintenance man, Mr. Han. After failing to end the bullying by talking with Cheng's ruthless kung fu teacher, Mr. Han agrees to train Dre to compete at an upcoming kung fu tournament.

Karate Kid (2025)

In September 2022, a new film was announced as being in development, described as "the return of the original Karate Kid franchise". [1] [2] Cobra Kai co-creator Jon Hurwitz later stated that he was not involved with the project, and that it was not directly connected to the television series. [3]

In August 2023, it was reported that Jackie Chan would be reprising his role from the 2010 film. [4] By November of the same year, Chan officially joined the cast, alongside Ralph Macchio, in their respective roles as Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. The studio announced a worldwide open casting call for an actor to star as the movie's iteration of the titular character. Jonathan Entwistle will serve as director from a script written by Rob Lieber, where the plot will involve a teen from China moving to the East Coast and beginning to study martial arts. Karen Rosenfelt will produce the film, with principal photography scheduled to occur in Montreal to last from April 01 to June 03 under the working title “Victory Boulevard”. [5] Originally scheduled to be released on June 7, 2024, the film was delayed to December 13, 2024, in part as a result of the 2023 writers and actors strikes. [1] [6] In February 2024, Ben Wang was cast as the titular character. [7] In March, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley and Ming-Na Wen were cast in undisclosed roles. [8]

FilmU.S. release dateDirectorScreenwriterStory byProducer(s)Status
The Karate Kid June 22, 1984 John G. Avildsen Robert Mark Kamen Jerry Weintraub Released
The Karate Kid Part II June 20, 1986
The Karate Kid Part III June 30, 1989
The Next Karate Kid August 12, 1994 Christopher Cain Mark Lee
The Karate Kid June 11, 2010 Harald Zwart Christopher Murphey Robert Mark Kamen Will Smith, Ken Stovitz, James Lassiter, Jerry Weintraub & Jada Pinkett Smith
Karate Kid May 30, 2025Jonathan EntwistleRob Lieber Karen Rosenfelt Filming

Television series

SeriesSeasonEpisodesOriginally released Showrunner(s)
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
Animation
The Karate Kid 113September 9, 1989 (1989-09-09)December 16, 1989 (1989-12-16) NBC Larry Houston
Live-action
Cobra Kai 1 10May 2, 2018 (2018-05-02) YouTube Red Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
2 10April 24, 2019 (2019-04-24) YouTube Premium
3 10January 1, 2021 (2021-01-01) Netflix
4 10December 31, 2021 (2021-12-31)
5 10September 9, 2022 (2022-09-09)
6 [9] 15TBA

The Karate Kid (1989)

In this animated children's television series, a miniature shrine with mystical properties has been stolen from its resting place in Okinawa. Joined by Taki Tamurai, Daniel and Mr. Miyagi are tasked with locating it and returning it home, traveling the globe on a series of adventures. The characters were not voiced by the original film actors, although Pat Morita voiced the opening narration.

With regard to Cobra Kai , executive producer and co-creator Jon Hurwitz revealed that The Karate Kid series is not canon, but an Easter Egg from it appears in Season 3 in response to the question about the Karate Kid animated series official status within The Karate Kid universe. [10] The Easter Egg was the Miyagi-Do shrine, briefly seen at Chozen Toguchi's dojo in Okinawa halfway through the season. The artifacts were recovered by Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi in the short-lived Karate Kid animated series, which ran for thirteen episodes in 1989. [11]

Cobra Kai (2018–present)

34 years after the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence, now in his 50s, has just lost his job. After getting arrested for rescuing his teenage neighbor Miguel Diaz from a group of bullies, then getting cut-loose and disowned by his stepfather, Johnny agrees to teach Miguel karate and reopens the Cobra Kai dojo, attracting social outcasts who build their self-confidence under his unorthodox tutelage. Meanwhile, Daniel LaRusso owns a successful chain of car dealerships and is happily married to his wife Amanda but struggles to keep a balanced life without the guidance of his now-deceased mentor, Mr. Miyagi. Johnny's estranged and troubled son, Robby Keene, hoping to get back at his father, comes under Daniel's wing – initially not knowing Robby's parentage – giving Robby a job at his car dealership and teaching him Miyagi-Do karate. Daniel and Johnny come into conflict after Cobra Kai's return is made public, while Daniel's daughter Samantha gets caught in the middle.

According to Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, the only characters that they would explore in the series were ones who featured in the first four movies. The creatives stated that they internally reference these characters as a part of the "Miyagi-verse", and explained that they are those who interacted directly with the character of Mr. Miyagi. [12]

Cast and characters

List indicator(s)

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in the franchise.

Character FilmsTelevisionVideo gamesBroadway
The Karate Kid The Karate Kid Part II The Karate Kid Part III The Next Karate Kid The Karate Kid Karate Kid The Karate Kid Cobra Kai Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues Cobra Kai 2: Dojo's Rising The Karate Kid The Musical
Principal cast
Daniel LaRusso Ralph Macchio Ralph Macchio Joey Dedio V Ralph MacchioRalph Macchio V John Cardoza
Mr. Miyagi Noriyuki "Pat" Morita
Fumio Demura F 		Noriyuki "Pat" MoritaNoriyuki "Pat" Morita
Fumio Demura F 		Robert Ito V Noriyuki "Pat" Morita A Jovanni Sy
John Kreese Martin Kove Martin Kove
Barrett Carnahan Y 		Brent Mukai V Martin Kove V Alan H. Green
John "Johnny" Lawrence William Zabka William Zabka A William Zabka
Owen Stone Y
Thomas Parobek Y
Logan Coffey Y 		William Zabka V Jake Bentley Young
Ali Mills Elisabeth Shue Elisabeth Shue A Elisabeth ShueJessica Rau V Jetta Juriansz
Chozen Toguchi Yuji Okumoto Yuji Okumoto
Shigi Ohtsu Y 		Yuji Okumoto V
Sato Danny Kamekona Danny Kamekona A
Akihiro Kitamura Y
Kumiko Tamlyn Tomita Tamlyn Tomita
Terrence "Terry" Silver Thomas Ian Griffith Thomas Ian Griffith
Nick Marini Y 		Thomas Ian Griffith V
Michael "Mike" Barnes Sean Kanan Sean Kanan
Jessica Andrews Robyn Lively Robyn Lively
Julie Pierce Hilary Swank
Ned RandallMichael Cavelieri
Colonel Paul Dugan Michael Ironside
Dre Parker Jaden Smith
Mr. Han Jackie Chan
ChengZhenwei Wang
Master Li Rongguang Yu
Miguel Diaz Xolo Maridueña Joe Zieja V Xolo Maridueña V
Samantha "Sam" LaRusso Mary Mouser
Reese TinLee Y 		Valerie Rose Lohman V Mary Mouser V
Robert "Robby" Keene Tanner Buchanan Spencer Greene V
Tory Nichols Peyton List Jessica Rau V Peyton List V
Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz Jacob Bertrand Jacob Bertrand V
Demetri AlexopoulosGianni DecenzoGianni Decenzo V
Kenny Payne Dallas Dupree Young Zeno Robinson V
Supporting cast
Lucille LaRusso Randee Heller Randee Heller A Randee HellerRandee Heller Kate Baldwin
Bobby BrownRon ThomasRon Thomas A Ron ThomasBrent Mukai V
Tommy Rob Garrison Rob Garrison A Rob Garrison
Dutch Chad McQueen Chad McQueen A Chad McQueen A
Jimmy Tony O'Dell Tony O'Dell A Tony O'Dell
Mrs. MillsSharon SpelmanDeborah May
Freddy Fernandez Israel Juarbe Israel Jurabe A Luis-Pablo Garcia
Mrs. Milo Frances Bay Frances Bay C Frances Bay A
Yukie Nobu McCarthy Nobu McCarthy A
YunaTraci ToguchiTraci Toguchi
Miyagi's fatherCharlie Tanimoto
SnakeJonathan AvildsenJonathan Avildsen A
DennisChristopher Paul FordChristopher Paul Ford A
Louisa Pierce Constance Towers
Eric McGowen Chris Conrad
Angel the Hawk Frank Welker V
MeiyingWenwen Han
Sherry Parker Taraji P. Henson
HarryLuke Carberry
Taki Tamurai Janice Kawaye V
Carmen DiazVanessa RubioAppearedJessica Rau V
Amanda Steiner-LaRusso Courtney Henggeler Valerie Rose Lohman V
Hector SalazarLuis Roberto Guzmán

Production

Development

The Karate Kid is a semi-autobiographical story based on the life of its screenwriter, Robert Mark Kamen. At age 17, after the 1964 New York World's Fair, Kamen was beaten up by a gang of bullies. He thus began to study martial arts in order to defend himself. [13] Kamen was unhappy with his first teacher who taught martial arts as a tool for violence and revenge. He moved on to study Okinawan Gōjū-ryū karate under a Japanese teacher who did not speak English, but was himself a student of Chōjun Miyagi. [13]

As a Hollywood screenwriter, Kamen was mentored by Frank Price who told him that producer Jerry Weintraub had optioned a news article about the young child of a single mother who had earned a black belt to defend himself against the neighborhood bullies. Kamen then combined his own life story with the news article and used both to create the screenplay for The Karate Kid. [13] Additionally, given John G. Avildsen's involvement with both films, Sylvester Stallone often joked with Kamen that the writer had "ripped off" the Rocky films with The Karate Kid. [13]

DC Comics had a character called Karate Kid. The filmmakers received special permission from DC Comics in 1984 to use the title for the first film (and subsequent sequels). [14]

A number of actors were considered for the part of Daniel LaRusso (originally Daniel Weber), including Sean Penn, [14] Robert Downey Jr., Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, [15] Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage, Anthony Edwards, C. Thomas Howell, Tom Cruise, Eric Stoltz and D. B. Sweeney. [13] Ralph Macchio was ultimately cast on the strength of his performance as Johnny Cade in The Outsiders (1983). [13] Macchio has stated that his performance as Johnny influenced the development of Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid. [16] [17]

Macchio later commented that the character was originally named Danny Weber, but was later changed to LaRusso. [13]

The studio originally wanted the role of Mr. Miyagi to be played by Toshiro Mifune, who had appeared in the Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), and The Hidden Fortress (1958), but the actor did not speak English. [13] Pat Morita later auditioned for the role but was rejected for the part due to his close association with stand-up comedy and with his character Arnold on the sitcom Happy Days . [13] After a few failed attempts, Morita grew a beard and patterned his accent after his uncle, which led to him being cast in the role. [18]

Abandoned projects

In a 2020 interview with Collider , William Zabka revealed that Pat Morita pitched him an idea in 2005, for a fifth film. The plot would have revolved around Johnny Lawrence who is now a doctor and tasked with caregiving for Mr. Miyagi; who is in the final stages of his life and whose health is failing him. During the early days of development, Morita passed away and the project was abandoned. [19]

In January 2022, Ralph Macchio revealed that he had previously been approached in 2012 about the potential for a The Karate Kid and Rocky crossover film. Intended to be directed by John G. Avildsen, the plot would have involved Daniel LaRusso's daughter and Rocky Balboa, Jr. opening a dojo together. Macchio stated that he and Milo Ventimiglia were pitched the idea, but described the concept as "awful". After Macchio expressed his disinterest in the story, the project subsequently fell into development hell, before being abandoned in favor of Creed and Cobra Kai. [20]

Additional production and crew details

FilmCrew/Detail
ComposerCinematographerEditor(s)Production
companies		Distributing
companies		Running time
The Karate Kid (1984) Bill Conti James Crabe John G. Avildsen, Walt Mulconery & Bud S. Smith Columbia Pictures,
Jerry Weintraub Productions,
Delphi II Productions		Columbia Pictures2 hrs 7 mins
The Karate Kid Part II John G. Avildsen, David Garfield & Jane KursonColumbia Pictures,
Delphi V Productions		1 hr 53 mins
The Karate Kid Part III Steve YaconelliJohn G. Avildsen & John Carter Columbia Pictures,
Weintraub International Group		1 hr 51 mins
The Next Karate Kid László Kovács Ronald RooseColumbia Pictures1 hr 47 mins
Cobra Kai Leo Birenberg & Zach RobinsonCameron DuncanNicholas Monsour, Jeff Seibenick & Ivan Victor Sony Pictures Television Studios,
Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions,
Overbrook Entertainment,
Heald Productions,
Counterbalance Entertainment,
YouTube Red Originals,
YouTube Premium Originals,
Netflix Originals 		YouTube Red [lower-alpha 1]
YouTube Premium [lower-alpha 2]
Netflix 		25 hrs
(30 mins/episode)
Karate Kid (2025 film) TBAJustin BrownTBAColumbia PicturesSony Pictures ReleasingTBD
The Karate Kid
(The Series)		Shuki Levy & Haim SabanArt direction:

Victor Dal Chele & Russ Heath

Karen Rosenbloom & Donald P. Zappala Columbia Pictures Television,
Saban Entertainmen,
DiC Entertainment 		National Broadcasting Company (NBC) 6 hrs 30 mins
(30 mins/episode)
The Karate Kid (2010) James Horner Roger Pratt Joel NegronColumbia Pictures,
Jerry Weintraub,
Overbrook Entertainment,
China Film Group Corporation,
Emperor Film Productions		 Sony Pictures Releasing 2 hrs 20 mins

Reception

Box office performance

The franchise as a whole has been a box office success.

FilmRelease dateBox office grossBudgetRef
United States and CanadaNorth American
gross when adjusted
for inflation		Other territoriesWorldwide
The Karate Kid (1984)June 22, 1984$100,400,529 [lower-alpha 3] $294,448,188?$300,442,786 [lower-alpha 4] $8 million [26] [27]
The Karate Kid Part IIJune 20, 1986$115,103,979$319,942,936?$13 million [28]
The Karate Kid Part IIIJune 30, 1989$38,956,288$95,754,033?$12.5 million [29]
The Next Karate KidAugust 12, 1994$8,914,777$18,325,931$7,100,000$16,014,777$12 million [30] [31]
The Karate Kid (2010)June 11, 2010$176,591,618$246,737,808$182,534,404$359,126,022$40 million [32]
Total$439,967,191$1,066,699,026$189,634,404+$675,583,585$85.5 million
List indicator(s)
  • A dark gray cell indicates the information is not available for the film.

    Critical and public response

    The franchise as a whole has received mixed reviews.

    Film/Television Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic Cinemascore [33]
    The Karate Kid (1984)89% (44 reviews) [34] 60 (15 reviews) [35] —
    The Karate Kid Part II44% (32 reviews) [36] 55 (9 reviews) [37] A–
    The Karate Kid Part III13% (32 reviews) [38] 36 (12 reviews) [39] B–
    The Next Karate Kid7% (27 reviews) [40] 36 (15 reviews) [41] B+
    The Karate Kid (2010)66% (211 reviews) [42] 61 (37 reviews) [43] A
    Cobra Kai: Season 1100% (49 reviews) [44] 72 (11 reviews) [45] —
    Cobra Kai: Season 291% (31 reviews) [46] 66 (7 reviews) [47] —
    Cobra Kai: Season 390% (51 reviews) [48] 72 (15 reviews) [49] —
    Cobra Kai: Season 495% (37 reviews) [50] 70 (8 reviews) [51] —
    Cobra Kai: Season 598% (44 reviews) [52] 80 (4 reviews) [53] —

    Cultural influence

    The series has been credited for popularizing Karate in the United States. [54] [55]

    In other media

    Broadway

    In January 2020, a Broadway musical adaptation of The Karate Kid was revealed to be in development. Amon Miyamoto serves as director, with an accompanying novel being written by the original film's screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen. Drew Gasparini serves as the lyricist and composer of the score, while Keone & Mari Madrid choreograph the play. Kumiko Yoshii, Michael Wolk serve as producers, with The Kinoshita Group. The cast includes Jovanni Sy as Mr. Miyagi, John Cardoza as Daniel LaRusso, Kate Baldwin as Lucille LaRusso, Alan H. Green as John Kreese, Jake Bentley Young as Johnny Lawrence, Jetta Juriansz as Ali Mills and Luis-Pablo Garcia as Freddie Fernandez. [56] The opening date has yet to be announced. [57]

    Merchandise

    The film spawned a franchise of related items and memorabilia such as action figures, head bands, posters, and T-shirts. A novelization was made by B.B. Hiller and published in 1984. The novel had a scene that was in the rehearsal when Daniel encounters Johnny during school at lunch. Also at the end, there was a battle between Miyagi and Kreese in the parking lot after the tournament which was the original ending for the film and used as the beginning of The Karate Kid Part II.

    In 2015, toy company Funko revived The Karate Kid action figures. Two versions of character Daniel Larusso, a version of character Johnny Lawrence and a version of Mr. Miyagi were part of the line. The toys were spotted at retailers Target and Amazon.com. [58]

    Video games

    A video game based on the first film was developed by Atlus and published by LJN for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987. A video game based on the second film, titled The Karate Kid Part II: The Computer Game , was released in 1986.

    Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues , a video game based on the television series Cobra Kai , was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in October 2020, [59] while Microsoft Windows version was released in January 2021.

    A mobile game entitled Cobra Kai: Card Fighter was released on iOS and Android devices in March 2021.

    A sequel to Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues developed by Flux Games and published by GameMill Entertainment titled Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising was released on November 8, 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows via Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. [60]

    Book

    In 2022, Ralph Macchio published the memoir Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me (Dutton), in which he reflects upon the making of and legacy of the Karate Kid films and Cobra Kai. [61]

    Canceled projects

    In the January 2022, Ralph Macchio revealed that in 2012 he had been approached about a potential Rocky and The Karate Kid crossover film, which the associated studios had intended to be directed by John G. Avildsen. The plot would have followed Daniel LaRusso's daughter and Rocky Balboa Jr. (portrayed by Milo Ventimiglia), as the pair "get together and open a dojo ". Describing the concept as "awful", Macchio declined reprising his role and the project subsequently entered development hell, before being abandoned in favor of the Creed films and Cobra Kai instead. [62]

    Notes

    1. ↑ YouTube Red was the original distributor for season 1 of Cobra Kai.
    2. ↑ YouTube Premium was the original distributor for season 2 of Cobra Kai.
    3. ↑ $100 million up until 1985. [21] 2018 and 2019 re-releases grossed $400,529. [22] [23]
    4. ↑ The original trilogy grossed $300 million worldwide up until 1994. [24] Between 2018 and 2020, the original film grossed a further $400,529 in the United States and Canada, [22] [23] and $42,257 in the United Kingdom and Australia. [25]

    Related Research Articles

    <i>The Karate Kid</i> 1984 American martial arts drama film

    The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the Karate Kid franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, and William Zabka. The Karate Kid follows the story of Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, LaRusso encounters harassment from his new bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). LaRusso is taught karate by a handyman and war veteran named Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Macchio</span> American actor (born 1961)

    Ralph George Macchio Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in three Karate Kid films, the 1984 film The Karate Kid and its sequels, The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989), as well as in Cobra Kai, a sequel television series on Netflix. He also played Johnny Cade in The Outsiders (1983), Jeremy Andretti in the television series Eight Is Enough, William Gambini in My Cousin Vinny (1992), Eugene Martone in Crossroads (1986), and Archie Rodriguez in the television series Ugly Betty. He also had a recurring role as Officer Haddix in the television series The Deuce.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">William Zabka</span> American actor (born 1965)

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Miyagi</span> Fictional character from the Karate Kid franchise

    Nariyoshi Miyagi, commonly known as Mr. Miyagi, is a fictional character in the four original films of the Karate Kid franchise, portrayed by Pat Morita. A wise karate master, he mentors Daniel LaRusso in the first three films (1984-1989) and Julie Pierce in The Next Karate Kid (1994). The sequel series Cobra Kai (2018-present) frequently references Miyagi, who is stated to have died between The Next Karate Kid and Cobra Kai ; Cobra Kai is itself thematically structured via The Miyagi-Verse, in reference to characters who knew Mr. Miyagi.

    <i>The Karate Kid Part II</i> 1986 American film

    The Karate Kid Part II is a 1986 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the second installment in the Karate Kid franchise and the sequel to the 1984 film The Karate Kid, starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. The Karate Kid Part II follows Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), who accompanies his karate teacher Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to see his dying father in Okinawa, only to encounter an old friend-turned-rival with a long-harbored grudge against Miyagi.

    <i>Cobra Kai</i> American martial arts comedy-drama television series

    Cobra Kai is an American martial arts comedy-drama television series and a sequel to the original The Karate Kid films created by Robert Mark Kamen. The series was created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, and is distributed by Sony Pictures Television. The series was released on YouTube Red / YouTube Premium for the first two seasons, before moving to Netflix starting with the third. The series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, who reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively, from the 1984 film The Karate Kid and its sequels, The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989).

    <i>The Karate Kid Part III</i> 1989 American martial arts drama film

    The Karate Kid Part III is a 1989 American martial arts drama film, the third entry in the Karate Kid franchise and a sequel to The Karate Kid Part II (1986). It stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Robyn Lively, and Thomas Ian Griffith in his film debut. As was the case with the first two films in the series, it was directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, with stunts choreographed by Pat E. Johnson and music composed by Bill Conti. In the film, the returning John Kreese, with the help of his best friend Terry Silver, attempts to gain revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi which involves hiring a ruthless martial artist and harming their relationship.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel LaRusso</span> Protagonist of The Karate Kid franchise

    Daniel LaRusso is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Karate Kid media franchise portrayed by Ralph Macchio. He is introduced in The Karate Kid (1984) and returns in its sequels The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). 29 years later, Macchio began to reprise the role in the sequel television series Cobra Kai (2018–present), which is set to conclude with its sixth season. Additionally, Macchio will return in the upcoming sixth film, Karate Kid (2025).

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Lawrence (character)</span> Fictional character from the Karate Kid franchise

    John "Johnny" Lawrence is a fictional character of The Karate Kid media franchise, portrayed by William Zabka. Introduced in The Karate Kid (1984) as Daniel LaRusso's rival, Johnny briefly returns at the beginning of the sequel, The Karate Kid Part II (1986). 32 years later, Zabka began to reprise the role in the sequel television series Cobra Kai (2018–present), where he serves as one of the protagonists.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">John Kreese</span> Fictional character from The Karate Kid franchise

    John Kreese is a fictional character and the main antagonist of The Karate Kid media franchise, portrayed by Martin Kove. He is introduced in The Karate Kid (1984) and returns in its sequels The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). 29 years later, Kove began to reprise the role in the sequel television series Cobra Kai (2018–present). He is a Vietnam veteran and a deranged karate sensei who founded Cobra Kai alongside Terry Silver. He initially served as Johnny Lawrence's karate sensei, before going on to become his archenemy.

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    Ali Mills is a fictional character portrayed by Elisabeth Shue in The Karate Kid franchise, appearing in the original film The Karate Kid (1984), and a minor character in the third season of its sequel series Cobra Kai (2021).

    <i>Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues</i> 2020 video game based on TV series Cobra Kai

    Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a side-scrolling beat 'em-up video game based on the American streaming television series Cobra Kai. Developed by Flux Games and published by GameMill Entertainment in North America and Maximum Games in Europe, it was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 27, 2020, and for Windows on January 5, 2021. The Nintendo Switch version was released in Europe on November 24, 2020. Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Jacob Bertrand, and Gianni DeCenzo reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso, Johnny Lawrence, Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz, and Demetri Alexopoulos respectively, while the rest of the other characters are voiced by different actors. A sequel developed by Flux Games and published by GameMill Entertainment titled Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising was released on November 8, 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows via Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Chozen Toguchi</span> Fictional character from the Karate Kid franchise

    Chozen Toguchi is a fictional character who appears as the main antagonist of the motion picture The Karate Kid Part II (1986), and a supporting character of the series Cobra Kai (2021). He is portrayed by Yuji Okumoto, whose performance has received widespread acclaim.

    <i>Cobra Kai</i> season 1 Season of television series

    The first season of Cobra Kai was released on YouTube Red on May 2, 2018 and consisted of 10 episodes. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film.

    <i>Cobra Kai</i> season 4 Season of television series

    The fourth season of Cobra Kai, also known as Cobra Kai IV, released on Netflix on December 31, 2021, and consisted of 10 episodes. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film. It is the second season to be released in 2021 and second to initially release on Netflix after the first two seasons released on YouTube. The season was also released on DVD on September 13, 2022, a few days after the premiere of the show's fifth season.

    Karate Kid is an upcoming American martial arts film directed by Jonathan Entwistle and written by Rob Lieber. It is the sixth film in The Karate Kid franchise and stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, both reprising their roles from previous films, with Ben Wang as the main lead alongside Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight and Wyatt Oleff. It is the first film in the series not produced by Jerry Weintraub, who died in 2015.

    Mike Barnes (<i>Karate Kid</i>) Fictional character from The Karate Kid franchise

    Mike Barnes is a fictional character in the Karate Kid film franchise, serving as the central antagonist of the film The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and also in a supporting role of the fifth season of the sequel television series Cobra Kai. He is portrayed by Sean Kanan.

    The sixth and final season of Cobra Kai is set to premiere on Netflix and will consist of fifteen episodes. Unlike previous seasons, the sixth season will be released in three parts of five episodes each, the first of which is set to release on July 18, 2024. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film.

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