Just like young Daniel LaRusso never could have imagined becoming a martial arts master, the cast and crew behind the making of The Karate Kid (1984) likely never could have expected the franchise the film would spawn.
What started with a kid from New Jersey and his bonsai tree-loving karate teacher has now blossomed and grown into a universally recognized household name. After the first film made over ten 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 series. That said sequel series, Cobra Kai (2018-Present), has become one of the crown jewels in Netflix's esteemed crown, and a new season is set to hit the streaming service on September 9th, just in time for the start of the school year.
With Cobra Kai generating a wealth of new interest in the series, some may finish the hotly anticipated season wanting more and not wanting to wait another year for the sixth season, here's how to watch every film and television entry in the Karate Kid series both by release date and in chronological order.
The Karate Kid Movies & Shows in Order of Release Date
Canon Entries:
- The Karate Kid - June 22nd, 1984
- The Karate Kid Part II - June 20th, 1986
- The Karate Kid Part III - June 30th, 1989
- The Next Karate Kid - August 12th, 1994
- Cobra Kai - May 2nd, 2018
Non-Canon Entries:
- The Karate Kid (Animated Series) - September 9th, 1989
- The Karate Kid (Remake) - June 11th, 2010
The Karate Kid Movies & Shows in Chronological Order
Since there are no prequels or anything of that sort, following the main timeline is pretty straightforward. We'll cover the mainline entries in the series first and then focus on the non-canonical ones and how they relate to the franchise.
The Karate Kid (1984)
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The underdog story that started it all. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) wants to be a normal kid after he moves to the San Fernando Valley, even meeting a girl that he falls head over heels for named Ali (with an I) (Elisabeth Shue). Unfortunately, Daniel becomes the subject of some relentless bullying from Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and his fellow karate-loving goons of the Cobra Kai karate academy, run by a militaristic sociopath named Kreese (Martin Kove). Luckily for Daniel, he's formed a bond with his apartment's handyman, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who also happens to be a martial arts master. To end Daniel's torment, Miyagi and Kreese come to an agreement; if Daniel wins the All-Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny and his crew will leave Daniel alone. You likely know the rest. Our underdog hero trains his heart out and accepts a triumphant victory, but what sets The Karate Kid apart from other sports underdog films like Rocky (1976) is its infectious '80s charm, consistently entertaining action scenes and the compelling relationship between Daniel and Miyagi. There's not much else to be said other than it's an all-time classic that is truly "The Best...Around."
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
The follow-up to the runaway success story that was The Karate Kid keeps the momentum going by picking up mere moments after the last film left off. After winning the All-Valley Tournament, Daniel accompanies Mr. Miyagi to his master's hometown in Okinawa, Japan. There the duo comes face to face with a foe from Miyagi's past and his own aggressive pupil; 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 gorgeous film. Cinematographer James Crabe (Rocky) does some of his finest work here, with some incredible shots that showcase the beautiful landscapes of Okinawa, which is an impressive feat given that the movie was actually filmed in Oahu, Hawaii.
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
The third and final film in the original Karate Kid trilogy features the return of Kreese, whose seeking vengeance after being publicly humiliated by Daniel and Miyagi. The Cobra Kai founder recruits an old war buddy, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), to manipulate Daniel and train him as a Cobra Kai pupil. Daniel slowly gets seduced by the dirtier tactics of Cobra Kai, but he'll ultimately need to rise above that temptation if he wants to maintain his friendship with Mr. Miyagi. The Karate Kid Part III does bring the series back to its roots, but much of it feels like it's retreading familiar ground with another hotheaded bully and another climactic tournament. That doesn't mean the film is without its positives, the biggest of which being Thomas Ian Griffith's Terry Silver, who is somehow able to match the chaotic energy of Kreese while also using his infectious charisma to get Daniel to his side.
The Next Karate Kid (1994)
The Next Karate Kid marks the first time installment in the series to not include Daniel LaRusso, though thankfully we do see the return of Mr. Miyagi. Miyagi this time around is training Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank), who is a young high schooler and the granddaughter of Miyagi's commanding officer during World War II. This time Miyagi is helping the young teen to face off against a group of evil school security guards led by Dugan (Michael Ironside), and stop their master plan to control the entire school. Now, the Karate Kid films have always had an heir of goofiness to them, like how Miyagi is somehow able to miraculously heal someone just by rubbing his hands together. The Next Karate Kid dials the goofiness up to another level, and that's not necessarily a good thing. The fact that villains are essentially supposed to be evil hall monitors yet somehow have the resources and influence of a private military is just absurd. Plus, even though Hilary Swank is certainly an accomplished actor, she just can't reach the iconic level of Ralph Macchio's Daniel. As of now, The Next Karate Kid is the only film yet to be referenced in Cobra Kai, although perhaps the off-screen mother of Tory Nichols (Peyton List) could set the stage for a Hilary Swank appearance.
Cobra Kai (2018 - Present)
The latest chapter in the Karate Kid saga begins over thirty years after the first film, framing itself as a spinoff story for Johnny Lawrence. Since we last saw him getting choked out by Kreese in Part II, Johnny has been living a less-than-charmed life as a poor, grumpy alcoholic while his lifelong rival, Daniel, is the wealthy owner of a car dealership. After helping a young man named Miguel (Xolo Maridueña), Johnny decides to start a school of his own, even adopting the name of Cobra Kai. That's only scratching the surface of what Cobra Kai has to offer, as nearly every single major actor from the original films outside the late great Pat Morita return to reprise their roles. If the returning favorite weren't enough, the show also offers an expansive cast of new faces who all get their time to shine as the new heroes of the San Fernando Valley. The fifth season is coming very, very soon and a sixth season is already well underway, so if that's not a testament to how entertaining this show is, we don't know what is.
The Karate Kid (1989)
There was this weird period in the '80s and '90s where every single moderately successful film franchise got its own animated children's series. Police Academy, Ace Ventura, and even Rambo and Robocop were just some blockbuster franchises to get shows marketed toward younger kids. The Karate Kid animated show sees Daniel (Joey Dedio), Mr. Miyagi (Robert Ito), and a new character by the name of Taki (Janice Kawaye) travel the globe and fighting evil wherever it may be. A simple premise for a simple show. The animated series only lasted one season and is very clearly trying to emulate the style and tone of the popular G.I. Joe (1985) cartoon (which many studios were already trying to copy). It's silly fun for kids, though Pat Morita does return to do an opening narration for almost every episode despite not playing Mr. Miyagi in most of the show.
The Karate Kid (2010)
The 2010 remake of The Karate Kid is missing a pretty big titular detail: karate. See, this reimagining of the iconic story takes place in China and instead had Kung-Fu as its martial art of choice. Despite the change in scenery, the story remains largely the same, with a young boy named Dre (Jaden Smith) learning to face his bullies through training under his apartment's handyman, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). Story-wise the film is a beat-for-beat remake, but does that make it "bad"? Oh no, far from it. In fact, thanks to having 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 master's grief is a massive point of the film's emotional core. Though nothing in the 2010 film explicitly contradicts the main films, a crossover has already been ruled out, though Jaden Smith's father, Will Smith, still remains involved with the franchise as a producer on Cobra Kai.