The Karate Kid franchise has officially returned to cinemas — but fans of Cobra Kai, hold your flying kicks. Karate Kid: Legends, the first theatrical release since 2010, arrives with no trace of the Netflix series’ breakout stars. Why? Because it was never meant to.
Director Jonathan Entwistle, the man entrusted with rebooting this iconic universe, made one thing clear: Legends is not a Cobra Kai movie.
"We are not a Cobra Kai movie in any way, shape, or form, and that was never the intention," he said in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter. "Cobra Kai is so important within the overall gamut that it was only right to let it have its absolute air to breathe."
Though the film honours the legacy of Mr. Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso, it doesn’t — and legally can’t — touch the original concepts created for the streaming series.
"We could use anything that's in the movies," Entwistle explained. "We could have used and touched on any concept that was in the original movies. So we could always use Daniel and Miyagi, but any elements that are Cobra Kai-specific are not a Columbia Pictures property."
But beyond the legal limitations, Entwistle was also guided by a clear creative vision. He believed placing a Karate Kid film directly alongside the conclusion of Cobra Kai would only confuse audiences.
Instead, his goal was to craft a theatrical experience that resonated across the entire fanbase — from longtime Karate Kid loyalists to Cobra Kai enthusiasts and general moviegoers alike. According to him, it was crucial to put the audience first and deliver something that would feel exciting and meaningful on the big screen.
