A new saga will unfold whenKarate Kid: Legendsarrives in theaters on May 30. The new film combines two worlds in theKarate Kiduniverse asRalph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso andJackie Chan’s Mr. Han combine their skills to raise the next Karate Kid,Li Fong (Ben Wang). Macchio has been in this universe for several decades, and in his latest outing, he played Daniel in the sequel seriesCobra Kai. “Our film is set after the sixth and final season ofCobra Kaiand takes theKarate Kidmythology in a fresh direction with a new set of characters,“Karate Kid: LegendsdirectorJonathan Entwistlesaid (via People).Cobra Kaiwas a great experience for Daniel because it taught him how to work with different styles to create something new after he teamed up with his longtime rival, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). This is the biggestconnection betweenCobra KaiandKarate Kid: Legends.
The new film sees a lot of parallels to the 1980s films andCobra Kai. “Seeing how important Li Fong is to Mr. Han and Daniel’s relationship to Miyagi (Pat Morita) — there’s a parallel there,” Macchio says in the video below, referencing the relationship between Daniel and his sensei Mr. Miyagi. “There’s the kung fu he learned in Beijing from Mr. Han, but he’s entering a karate tournament, which is a different type of martial arts. And now,combining those worldsin an authentic way, the kung fu and karate, it’s something fresh,” says Macchio, revealing the biggest connection between the recently concluded TV series and the upcoming movie. It will be easier for Daniel totrain Li Fong alongside Mr. Han, having endured working alongside Johnny. This is even better since they’re constantly not at each other’s throats.
What Is ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ About?
The film follows aformat similar to past movies, albeit with the twist of combining kung fu and karate. Li Fong moves from China to America after his brother dies, and like other karate kids before him, he struggles to adapt to the new environment. His New York neighborhood has an established hierarchy, and like Daniel, Li Fong also has a bullyand a crush. The only way for him to survive is to train and become good at martial arts and take down his bully, Connor (Aramis Knight), the reigning champion of the Five Boroughs Tournament. Mr. Han reaches out to Daniel to help shape Li Fong into the best fighter he can be.
ExperienceKarate Kid: Legendswhen the movie debuts in theaters next month on May 30.
Karate Kid: Legends
Source:People
