Jackie Chan’s unexpected return as Mr. Han in the upcomingKarate Kid: Legendswas always going to be a great moment for the series, but it has also made a huge alteration to the largerKarate Kidfranchise. After making his debut as Mr. Han in 2010’sThe Karate Kid,Chan understandably took a lengthy break away from the saga. His movie was very different while also being similar toall the previousKarate Kidmovies, and while this quirk wasn’t unexpected at the time,Karate Kid: Legendshas changed how the 2010 effort is viewed.
The 2010Karate Kidis one ofChan’s best movies of the last 15 years, which is really saying something given how busy he has been in that time. Despite his dense schedule of late, Chan’s role in theKarate Kid: Legendscastgives him his most high-profile live-action appearance in years. Although Chan’s presence in any martial arts movie is always bound to increase its appeal,there’s an especially interesting reason whyLegendsis drawing more eyesthan most.
Karate Kid: Legends Means That 2010’s Karate Kid Is No Longer A Remake But A Sequel
Chan’s “remake” is now canon to the other Miyagi-verse movies (& Cobra Kai)
Cobra Kaihas keptKarate Kidalive since 2018. The legacy sequel show acknowledges the saga’s rich history while also driving the story forward. One of its biggest ways of doing this has been to bring back pretty much every major player from the movies. However, becauseChan’s movie was a remake of the 1984 franchise starter, it was set in a separate universe, so a Hr. HanCobra Kaicameo would have been nonsensical. Now, the 2010 movie has been integrated into the Miyagi-verse, as proven by Chan co-starring alongside Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso inKarate Kid: Legends.
Karate Kid: Legends Is Continuing A Cobra Kai Tradition That Made The Franchise So Much Better
The Karate Kid franchise dates back to the first movie in 1984, and the upcoming legacy sequel is repeating its spinoff’s most redeeming quality.
So, Chan’sKarate Kidremake no longer fits the description it once did. Instead, it’s something of a legacy sequel to Hilary Swank’sThe Next Karate Kidfrom 1994. It also makes the 2010 effort a prequel toCobra Kai,along with the other movies. Of course,there’s been no interaction between Chan’s movie and the rest of the franchise just yet, asLegendsis the first time it has been realistically able to happen.
The Karate Kid Remake’s Similarities To The Original Film Are Strangely Funny Now
Mr. Miyagi & Hr. Han are now amusingly similar rather than the latter being an homage to the former
When Chan’s then-remake was released in 2010, viewers who had also seen the original wouldn’t have had any issues with the startingly similar storylines. Both movies tell the story of a bullied underdog who is trained in martial arts by a reluctant teacher, and the protagonist wins a tournament at the end. It was fine then, because it was an intentional beat-for-beat recreation with a little more flair. Now, it’s pretty hard to believe that two people had an identical experience decades later and halfway around the world, but that’s exactly whatKarate Kid: Legendshas made canon.
The Karate Kid
Cast
The Karate Kid is a 2010 remake of the original martial arts drama film released in 1984. Directed by Harald Zwart, this new telling follows young Dre Parker who after a big move with his mother from Detroit, Michigan to Beijing, China, finds difficulty fitting in and manages to get caught in a bullies' crosshairs. Dre is saved by the mysterious maintenance worker named Mr. Han, who teaches him Kung Fu in order to defend himself.
Karate Kid: Legends
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
