a new karate kid movie is in the works, courtesy of Sony Pictures. The studio has officially announced the franchise’s return to theaters by dating a new installment of the series simply called karate kidbefore June 7, 2024. Per Deadlinethe announcement comes along with several other release date announcements such as Sony’s superhero movies Kraven the hunter (Oct 6, 2023) and Madame Web (February 16, 2024).
No information has been released about the new karate kid movie, so it’s currently unclear who will appear in the movie or what the plot could be. It is possible that it is an extension of the original karate kid universe, which consisted of four movies, along with the sequel series Cobra Kai. Some of the Cobra Kai cast members have teased that the show could soon be fleshed out into a more cinematic universe, and this new movie could be part of those plans coming to life.
“The thing that was created, there is now a kind of Karate Kid Cinematic Universe where Cobra Kai is, you know, in the middle of that and when that day comes for a landing, there are other areas to draw from,” Ralph Macchio recently told Comicbook.com. “I mean, whether it… Is there a Miyagi origin story? is there a Cobra Kai prequel to The karate kid? Are there any spin-offs featuring some of the young cast of these characters? Who knows? But we’re not done yet as long as we get a chance to actually land it. As long as it evolves organically, the guys writing the show really have their finger on the pulse there.”
Macchio’s co-star William Zabka also told the outlet: “There’s an endgame [for Cobra Kai]. Everything definitely points to a place on the map. It’s a matter of how much [seasons] we’re going to do that, but there’s definitely an endgame. We’re going to end the series and then I think we’re going to make a trilogy of movies.”
Cobra Kai brought new life to The Karate Kid
Certainly, the success of Cobra Kai must have played a big part in bringing Sony The karate kid back to the cinema with a new movie. The series, which serves as a sequel to the original trilogy and The next karate kid, features a mix of old characters and newcomers to the story. It seems to be exactly what fans wanted, as the show has been very popular for years. At this point, Sony must hope that interest will turn to high ticket sales for the franchise’s return to the big screen.
“That’s what we love most about the franchise: everyone who watches our show sees how many characters come in and there’s a part of us that never wants to stop,” co-creator Jon Hurwitz recently told Total Film, teasing spin-offs to come. “We have a place where it all goes, but that doesn’t mean the world should stop there. We have a lot of ideas to keep going [the universe] and loving karate kid vibes go through other stories and other shows and different formats for that.”
You can watch all five seasons of Cobra Kai on Netflix.