How to Watch Chronologically and by Release Date
Just as young Daniel LaRusso could never have imagined becoming a martial arts master, the cast and crew were behind the making The Karate Kid (1984) probably never expected the franchise to emerge from the film.
What started with a kid from New Jersey and his karate teacher who loves bonsai trees has become a household name. After the first film was shot over 10 times, its estimated budget, the future consisted of a completed trilogy, a spin-off film, an animated series (we’re not kidding), a remake, and a hugely successful sequel. that said sequel, Cobra Kai (since 2018) has become one of the crown jewels in Netflix’s cherished crown, and a new season is scheduled to premiere on September 9.
With Cobra Kai arousing many new prospects for the series, some ending the highly anticipated season wanting more and not wanting to wait another year for season six karate kid Series both by release date and in chronological order.
The Karate Kid Movies and Shows in Release Date Order
Canon Entries:
- The Karate Kid – June 22, 1984
- The Karate Kid Part II – June 20, 1986
- The Karate Kid Part III – June 30, 1989
- The next karate kid – August 12, 1994
- Cobra Kai – May 2, 2018
Non-Canon Entries:
- The Karate Kid (Animated Series) – September 9, 1989
- The Karate Kid (Reissue) – June 11, 2010
The Karate Kid Movies & Shows in Chronological Order
Since there are no prequels or anything like that, it’s pretty easy to follow the main timeline. We’ll cover the main entries in the series first, and then focus on the non-canon entries and how they relate to the franchise.
The Karate Kid (1984)
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The underdog story that started it all. Daniel La Russo (Ralph Macchio) wants to be a normal kid after moving to the San Fernando Valley and even meets a girl named Ali (with an I) whom he falls head over heels in love with (Elizabeth Shue). Unfortunately Daniel is played by Johnny Lawrence (Wilhelm Zabka) and his karate-loving idiots at the Cobra Kai Karate Academy, run by a militaristic sociopath named Kreese (Martin Kove). Luckily for Daniel, he has a friendship with his apartment’s handyman, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who also happens to be a martial arts master. To end Daniel’s agony, Miyagi and Kreese come to an agreement; If Daniel wins the All Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny and his crew will leave Daniel alone. You probably know the rest. Our underdog hero works his heart out and accepts a triumphant win, but what sets The Karate Kid Aside from other sports underdog movies like Rocky (1976) is its infectious ’80s charm, consistently entertaining action scenes, and riveting relationship between Daniel and Miyagi. There’s not much more to say than this is an all-time classic that truly is “The Best…Around”.
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
The continuation of the runaway success story that was The Karate Kid keeps the momentum going by playing on just moments after the last movie ended. After winning the All Valley tournament, Daniel accompanies Mr. Miyagi to his master’s hometown in Okinawa, Japan. There, the duo encounters an enemy from Miyagi’s past and his own aggressive student; the psychopathic chozen (Yuji Okumoto). The Karate Kid Part II is often and understandably overlooked by fans in favor of its predecessor, but many also claim that the sequel is just as good, if not better, than the original. It truly is the “diamond in the rough” of the series, and we mean that literally as The Karate Kid Part II is an absolutely great film. camera operator James Crabe (Rocky) does some of his best work here, with some incredible shots that showcase the beautiful landscapes of Okinawa, which is an impressive feat considering the film was actually shot in Oahu, Hawaii.
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
The third and final film in the original karate kid The trilogy sees the return of Kreese seeking revenge after being publicly humiliated by Daniel and Miyagi. The founder of Cobra Kai recruits an old comrade-in-arms, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) to manipulate Daniel and train him as a Cobra Kai apprentice. Daniel is slowly being seduced by Cobra Kai’s dirtier tactics, but he must ultimately evade this temptation if he is to maintain his friendship with Miyagi-san. The Karate Kid Part III while bringing the series back to its roots, much of it feels like it’s treading new ground with another hot-headed bully and another climax tournament. That’s not to say the film is without its positives, the greatest of which is Thomas Ian Griffith’s Terry Silver, who’s somehow able to rival Kreese’s chaotic energy while also using his infectious charisma to get around to get Daniel on his side.
The Next Karate Kid (1994)
The next karate kid marks the first time in the series that Daniel LaRusso isn’t included, although thankfully we’re seeing the return of Mr. Miyagi. Miyagi is training Julie Pierce this time (Hilary Swank), who is a young high schooler and the granddaughter of Miyagi’s commanding officer during World War II. This time, Miyagi helps the young teenager face off against a group of evil school guards led by Dugan (Michael Ironside) and stop their master plan to control the entire school. Now the karate kid Movies have always had an heir to silliness, as somehow Miyagi is able to miraculously heal someone just by rubbing his hands together. The next karate kid takes stupidity to another level, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. The fact that villains are supposed to be essentially evil hall guards but somehow have the resources and clout of a private military is just plain absurd. And while Hilary Swank is certainly an accomplished actress, she just can’t quite reach the iconic level of Ralph Macchio’s Daniel. From now on, The next karate kid is the only film still referenced Cobra Kaialthough maybe the off-screen mother of Tory Nichols (Peyton List) could set the stage for Hilary Swank to perform.
Cobra Kai (2018–present)
The latest chapter in the karate kid The saga begins more than thirty years after the first film and is conceived as a side story for Johnny Lawrence. Ever since we last saw him get choked by Kreese Part II, Johnny has led an uncharming life as a poor, grumpy alcoholic, while his lifelong rival Daniel is the wealthy car dealership owner. After meeting a young man named Miguel (Xolo Mariduena), Johnny decides to start his own school and even takes the name Cobra Kai. That just scratches the surface of what Cobra Kai has to offer, as nearly every single lead actor from the original films, aside from the late great Pat Morita, returns to reprise their roles. As if the recurring favorite wasn’t enough, the show also features a sizable cast of new faces, all of whom are getting their time to shine as the San Fernando Valley’s new heroes. Season 5 is coming very, very soon and a sixth season is well underway. So if that’s not proof of how entertaining this show is, we don’t know what is.
The Karate Kid (1989)
There was that weird time in the ’80s and ’90s when every single moderately successful movie franchise got its own children’s animated series. police school, Ace Venturaand even rambo and Robocop were just a few blockbuster franchises to market shows for younger kids. The Karate Kid Animation show sees Daniel (Joey Dedio), Mr. Miyagi (Robert Ito) and a new character named Taki (Janice Kaway) travel the world fighting evil wherever it may be. A simple premise for a simple show. The animated series only lasted one season and clearly tries to emulate the style and tone of the popular ones GI Joe (1985) Cartoon (which many studios were already trying to copy). It’s silly fun for kids, although Pat Morita returns for almost every episode to do an opening narration, despite not playing Miyagi-san in most parts of the show.
The Karate Kid (2010)
The 2010 remake The Karate Kid It’s missing a pretty big title detail: karate. See, this reinterpretation of the iconic story takes place in China and instead had kung fu as the martial art of choice. Despite the change of scene, the story remains largely the same, with a little boy named Dre (Jaden Smith) learn to confront his bullies by living under his apartment’s handyman, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). Story-wise, the film is a beat-to-beat remake, but does that make it “bad”? Oh no, far from it. Thanks to a martial arts legend like Jackie Chan, The Karate Kid 2010 has some of the best fight choreography of any entry listed here. Chan also gives a remarkably powerful performance, where the grief of the master is a massive point of the film’s emotional core. While nothing in the 2010 film specifically contradicts the main films, a crossover has already been ruled out, although Jaden Smith’s father, Will SmithHe remains involved with the franchise as a producer Cobra Kai.