The Karate Kid Franchise

The Karate Kid franchise is an American martial arts drama media franchise, created by screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen. It features shared universes across film and television. The concepts and characters created by the original trilogy inspired a spin-off, (The Next Karate Kid), a remake (The Karate Kid (2010)), an upcoming film (The Karate Kid (2024)), two television series (The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai), a graphic novel series (Johnny's Story), and video games. The franchise has also had a lasting influence on both karate culture and teen film narratives in America.

Original Trilogy

The Karate Kid

Main article: The Karate Kid

Daniel LaRusso moves to Southern California with his mother, Lucille, but quickly finds himself the target of a group of bullies who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate and preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.

The Karate Kid Part II

Main article: The Karate Kid Part II

After learning that his father is dying, karate master Mr. Miyagi returns home to Okinawa, bringing his protege, Daniel, with him. In Japan, Miyagi is surprised to discover that his old sweetheart, Yukie, has remained single. Meanwhile, Daniel is attracted to Yukie's niece, Kumiko. But romance must be put on hold while Daniel and Miyagi deal with local bullies and long-harbored grudges.

The Karate Kid Part III

Main article: The Karate Kid Part III

Cobra Kai karate instructor John Kreese is still brooding over the defeat handed to him by Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi. With his slimy partner, Terry Silver, Kreese plans an intricate payback that involves hiring a mean-spirited ringer, Mike Barnes, to rob Daniel of his championship title. When Mr. Miyagi refuses to train Daniel, even under threat, the boy makes the mistake of turning to Terry for guidance.

The Next Karate Kid

Main article: The Next Karate Kid

Karate master Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) goes to Boston to attend a military reunion. There, he visits with Louisa (Constance Towers), the widow of his former commander, and meets her granddaughter, Julie (Hilary Swank). Julie's parents were recently killed in a car accident, and she is still reeling from the loss. When Julie surprises Miyagi with her knowledge of karate, he takes her to a Buddhist monastery for training and to help her come to terms with her angst.

2010 Remake

Main article: The Karate Kid (2010)

When his mother's career results in a move to China, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) finds that he is a stranger in a strange land. Though he knows a little karate, his fighting skills are no match for Cheng, the school bully. Dre finds a friend in Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), a maintenance man who is also a martial-arts master. Mr. Han teaches Dre all about kung fu in the hope that Dre will be able to face down Cheng and perhaps win the heart of a pretty classmate named Meiying.

Upcoming 2024 Film

Main article: The Karate Kid (2024)

This upcoming Karate Kid film is slated to debut in theaters on June 7, 2024, focusing on a new set of characters outside of the aforementioned Cobra Kai characters. It is the first time that a Karate Kid film has been released to theaters since the 2010 remake starring Jaden Smith. A cast, crew, and director are currently pending.

Television Series

The Karate Kid

The success of the first two films spawned an animated television series that aired for thirteen episodes in 1989. While characters Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi were centralized in the plot, they were not voiced by their film counterparts. Instead, the characters were voiced by Joey Dedio and Robert Ito respectively. Pat Morita reprised his role as Mr. Miyagi through a narration in which he explains the episode's plot from his character's point of view. The series was canceled after one season, and is not considered canon.

A miniature shrine with magic powers is taken from its resting place on Okinawa, and it is up to Miyagi and Daniel to recover it. Together with Okinawan girl Taki Tamurai (voiced by Janice Kawaye), the karatekas search the globe and, naturally, encounter several opportunities to fight their way out of trouble.

Cobra Kai

Main article: Cobra Kai

Set thirty-four years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, when a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. The move reignites his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso, who has been struggling to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of his now-deceased mentor Mr. Miyagi. The show is about two men addressing past demons and present frustrations the only way they know how: through karate.

Running parallel to the conflict are the story arcs of Johnny and Daniel's students. Johnny opens a new Cobra Kai dojo that attracts a group of bullied nerds and social outcasts who find a camaraderie and self-confidence under his tutelage, but there are some who take his aggressive philosophy too far, in particular his star pupil, Miguel Diaz. In contrast, Johnny's estranged son, Robby Keene, comes under the wing of Daniel, who hires the boy at his car dealership, initially not knowing that Johnny is his father. Daniel eventually proves a positive influence to the boy, teaching him Mr. Miyagi's philosophy of balance. Meanwhile, Daniel's daughter, Samantha, is caught in the middle of these conflicts as she learns who her true friends are and a better path to follow.

Video Games

The Karate Kid

This game is not not canon to the franchise.

Main article: The Karate Kid (NES)

The Karate Kid for the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in November 1987 only in North America is side-scrolling action video game based on the 1984 & 1986 movies The Karate Kid & The Karate Kid Part II, developed by Japanese company Atlus Co., Ltd and published by LJN. In this game you play as Daniel LaRusso as he starts out at the All Valley Karate Tournament and then eventually finds himself in Okinawa.

Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues

This series is not canon to the franchise.

Main article: Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues

Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a side-scrolling beat 'em-up video game based on the American web television series Cobra Kai. It was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on October 27, 2020. It was released on PC through Steam on January 5, 2021.

Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising

This game is not canon to the franchise.

Main article: Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising

Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising is a game published by GameMill Entertainment on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. A sequel to 2020’s Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues, the game sees developer Flux Game Studio return for a continued adaptation of the hit series that deeply expands the playable roster of karate students and their senseis. Featuring 28 playable characters, each with unique moves and abilities, users can jump into Story Mode to immerse themselves in an exciting new storyline as well as relive iconic scenes and locales from the show in Cobra Classics Mode.

Books

The Karate Kid: The Classic Illustrated Storybook

Main article: The Karate Kid: The Classic Illustrated Storybook

Wax on, wax off! The classic movie about a boy and his karate teacher is now a fun picture book for the whole family! The story book was published on May 9, 2019 by Quirk Books as part of their Pop Culture series. It was timely released with the films 35th anniversary.

Novelizations

A novelization of each film was released by Scholastic books and written by American author B.B. Hiller. These novels are simply a novelization of the original scripts, and feature little additional information. The novelizations stopped after The Next Karate Kid.

Johnny's Story

This series is not canon to the franchise.

Main article: Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues - Johnny's Story

Is Johnny really the good guy? See The Karate Kid in a whole new light in this retelling through the eyes of Johnny Lawrence, two-time All Valley Tournament Champion. Summer, 1984. Senior year is about to start and Johnny and the rest of the Cobra Kai rule the school. But, when the new kid makes moves on the girl that broke Johnny's heart, he vows to settle the score and win back her love. Or so goes the story Sensei Lawrence tells his students nearly 35 years later.

The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai

Main article: The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai

Sony Pictures Consumer Products and Harper Collins unveiled The Kick-A** Book of Cobra Kai, an official guide to the thrilling world of the Emmy-nominated show. A celebration of the superfans, the book is an essential companion to the show, acting as a master sensei ready to guide readers through the karate-crazed San Fernando Valley. The legacy of The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai continues with never-before-seen photographs and illustrations, as well as interviews with cast and much more.

Merchandise

Main article: Cobra Kai/Merchandise