Since its first installment in 1984, The Karate Kid franchise has evolved into a big universe after its revival as Cobra Kai in 2018. The franchise saw 2 more installments featuring Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita returning to their roles with stakes increasing after every sequel.
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After the universe was renewed by YouTube, it saw a massive resurgence in popularity for its nuanced take on the hero-villain dynamic by showing the aftermath of the downfall of Johnny Lawrence played by William Zabka. The show has been renewed for its 5th season.
Jaden Smith as the Karate Kid
The franchise was rebooted in 2010, starring Will Smith’s son Jaden Smith as the protagonist and Jackie Chan as his teacher. They used many of the themes and story beats of the original but gave a different twist by setting the film in China.
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The film was criticized for showcasing kung fu despite being named The Karate Kid, nevertheless, the film was well received by the fans and critics. But later in 2021, the creators of Cobra Kai confirmed that the movie wasn’t canon to its universe.
A new Karate Kid movie is in the works
Sony Pictures is reportedly looking to make a new Karate Kid movie starring a 17-year-old Chinese actor. The character, named Li is considered to be a skilled fighter who will be moving from Beijing to New York.
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The movie will follow similar beats to the original and reboot but will feature the younger star training an older male, the father of his love interest. Similar to the reboot, the movie will be showcasing Kung Fu over Karate.
Will it be in the Miyagi-verse or the Jaden Smith universe?
Since the universe has been different, with the creators calling the ongoing universe the “Miyagi-verse”, fans are unsure as to which universe they will be seeing. Though, Many have speculated the film will see Jaden Smith return to the franchise, which they are not very excited about.
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After the original franchise has the hearts of the fans back, they aren’t interested in seeing Jaden Smith return, with his cringy behavior on the internet not helping his case. Most of them are hoping to see the film tie into the series, giving the beloved Miyagi-verse more depth.
Season 5 of Cobra Kai is expected to release on Netflix on 9 September 2022.
Source: Murphy’s Multiverse
