'Karate Kid: Legends' Official Trailer Released
The public may finally have gotten the New York Comic-Con trailer for the film once scheduled to release the weekend before it
Karate Kid: Legends, Sony’s first new Karate Kid movie in 15 years, may not have been able to make its release date, but it’s gotten some footage out to the eager public this holiday season. The film released its first trailer on Tuesday, two days before Superman, a film releasing six weeks after it.
Releasing in theaters on May 30, 2025, Karate Kid: Legends brings together Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han from the 2010 “remake” and Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso from the first three films and subsequent Cobra Kai television series to mentor new student Li Fong, played by Ben Wang. As the new expanded synopsis describes, “after a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. Li struggles to let go of his past as he tries to fit in with his new classmates, and although he doesn’t want to fight, trouble seems to find him everywhere. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.”
Rereading the descriptions provided from New York Comic-Con, if it’s not the same trailer that was shown at Sony’s panel, it sure shares its major elements with it. And being even a second trailer (hypothetically) it’s way too soon to be spamming the same elements to avoid giving away too many plot elements. The same tagline “When families unite, a new legacy begins” is also present. It doesn’t reveal much more than the synopsis did, but we do get to see Li release lanterns with his mother, played by Ming-Na Wen, and struggle with space in the subway with Sadie Stanley’s character, though he’s stopped by bullies while trying to move with her. There’s training and competition as well. While probably too soon to tell, the teaser does not instill much confidence that it will have any Cobra Kai series references or callbacks.
Karate Kid: Legends also stars Joshua Jackson as her father Victor, Shaunette Renée Wilson as Ms. Morgan and Aramis Knight, Wyatt Oleff, and Jennifer-Lyn Christie in roles that still haven’t been revealed yet. It is directed by Jonathan Entwistle, whose past work includes I’m Not Okay with This and The End of the F***ing World and written by Rob Lieber, whose credits include Sony’s Peter Rabbit and Disney’s 2014 Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day.
When it was clear Karate Kid: Legends couldn’t make its original December 13 date, Sony slotted in Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the Spider-Man villain. And it has not been faring well, as a comic book film or even R-rated film. Kicked off by a measly $11 million domestic opening weekend, that only grew to $17.4 million as of Sunday, and a $42 million global gross. No positive momentum is expected, but puts a whimper of an end to Sony’s Spider-Man villain movies.
Sources: Deadline, ScreenRant