The 'Karate Kid: Legends' Trailer Proves There's Life After 'Cobra Kai'

The Karate Kid universe continues just after Netflix wrapped up six seasons of its hit show, Cobra Kai. That means there's more work for Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) to tackle. 

The trailer for the film dropped on April 1, but it's no joke — the movie will hit theaters on May 30. The plot involves a family tragedy that forces a skilled kung fu enthusiast Li Fong (Ben Wang) to move from the comforts of Beijing, China to New York City. Li turns to karate to give him comfort and help end his troubles. 

That's where the fun really begins. "Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown," per the official description.

There is even a tribute to the late Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) in the clip and of course, there is always a classic bonsai quote. “Two branches, one tree," Daniel tells Li. The film will feature other familiar faces including Ming-Na Wen as Li's mother and Joshua Jackson as Victor, although little has been revealed about his character.

Macchio and Wang attended CinemaCon in Las Vegas on March 31 to reveal an extended look at the upcoming film. The 63-year-old actor admitted to Variety that he had some hesitations in returning to the role so soon after Cobra Kai ended. 

“It was not a quick decision, because it was about protecting the Daniel LaRusso character, and finding where he would be at that point, and then protecting the whole legacy in the Miyagi-verse,” he explained in November 2024. “Once we were able to line that up, for the Cobra Kai story to lead into the new film — even though they’re separate ecosystems — it all made sense for me. Then, working with Jackie was just super exciting. I started this on the big screen. How cool is it to get it back to the big screen?"

Related: William Zabka Talks 'Cobra Kai' and the Magic of 'The Karate Kid'