Sony has announced that the original ‘Karate Kid’ franchise will be revived with a new ‘KARATE KID’ film, the first since the 2010 reboot starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. The film is set to be released in theaters on June 7, 2024.
For the time being, we don’t know much about the plot or the cast of the film. However, given the success of director John G. Avildsen’s The Karate Kid (1984), which was followed by three more films in the series, and then the 2010 remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, we can only expect yet another interesting martial arts drama film.
Nonetheless, the franchise has been kept alive in this OTT age by Netflix’s Cobra Kai TV series, which expands the universe created in the storylines of the original 80s and 90s films.
The Karate Kid Film Series
The Karate Kid (1984)
Daniel LaRusso learns karate from Japanese handyman Mr. Miyagi to defend himself after some violent encounters with his new classmates.
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
Daniel Larusso (Macchio), a karate student, travels to Okinawa with his wise and whimsical teacher, Mr. Miyagi (Morita). It’s a journey to an exotic new world for the boy, with new clues to his mentor’s secret past. For Miyagi, it’s an opportunity to see his father one last time and tore kindle a romance with his childhood sweetheart (Nobu McCarthy). But Miyagi’s return also reignites a bitter feud with long-time foe Sato (Danny Kamekona), involving young Daniel in a brilliant clash of cultures and combat.
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Daniel Larusso, the Karate Kid, risks losing everything when he puts pride ahead of principle in this dramatic film starring Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki “Pat” Morita. When Daniel (Macchio) opts out of the upcoming karate championship, he becomes the target of vicious Cobra Kai student Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan), who is determined to reclaim the title. Mr. Miyagi (Morita), Daniel’s mentor and trainer, tells him to ignore Mike’s threats and stay away from the tournament. But when Mike’s constant abuse turns into blackmail, Daniel finds himself forced into the competition – and at odds with Miyagi, the one person he loves the most.
Desperate, Daniel seeks the help of another karate instructor, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), whose violent combat techniques contradict Miyagi’s wise advice. But when Daniel realizes Terry and Mike are working with Mr. Miyagi’s old foe, Kreese (Martin Kove), in an elaborate revenge plot, he realizes he has alienated the only person who can help him. THE KARATE KID, Part III is a powerful new chapter in this popular film series, telling a riveting story of independence, inner strength, and self-enlightenment.
The Next Karate Kid (1994)
Mr. Miyagi decides to take Julie, a troubled adolescent, under his wing after learning that she blames herself for her parents’ deaths and struggles to fit in with her grandmother and classmates.
Noriyuki “Pat” Morita and Academy Award winner Hilary Swank co-star in this story of a rebellious teen, Julie, who blossoms with a little help from her friends – in this case, the wise Mr. Miyagi and a trio of Buddhist monks!
Where to watch The Karate Kid (1984)
