The Best Thing About Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid Movie Might Not Be Back For Karate Kid: Legends

One might expect Karate Kid: Legends to recreate one of the best moments from Jackie Chan’s 2010 Karate Kid movie, but it seems unlikely that the iconic scene will be back for the new film in the franchise. Set after the events of Cobra Kai season 6 in the franchise’s overarching timeline, Karate Kid: Legends is not expected to expand the story beats developed in the Netflix series. However, it might still drop subtle references to Daniel LaRusso’s past from Cobra Kai‘s narrative to make its story more cohesive with what has happened so far in the franchise.

Given how Karate Kid: Legends will focus more on drawing connections with the original Karate Kid movies and the 2010 reboot, it will not be surprising if it pays homage to both Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han’s past fighting journeys. While exploring the story of a new up-and-coming fighter, Karate Kid: Legends will also incorporate themes of self-improvement and the transformative power of martial arts, which have been crucial drivers of all stories in the franchise. However, it still seems unlikely that Karate Kid: Legends will feature the 2010 reboot’s best sequence.

The Karate Kid’s “Jacket On, Jacket Off” Training Is Too Associated With Dre Parker

Mr. Han Created The Training Method Specifically For Dre

Mr. Miyagi’s “Wax on, wax off” training method has been associated with multiple characters in the franchise because both Miyagi and LaRusso have used it to train several students. However, the same cannot be said about Mr. Han’s “Jacket on, jacket off” method. Unlike Mr. Miyagi, who was a well-experienced sensei and had already developed a well-defined structure to train a student, Mr. Han was figuring out how to best impart his knowledge to Dre Parker in the 2010 Karate Kid reboot.

Owing to this, the “Jacket on, jacket off” moment was a pivotal development in the movie because it helped Han teach Dre that some of the most effective kung fu movements can be found in the most basic human movements and activities. The “Jacket on, jacket off” method can be seen as a new spin on Miyagi’s “Wax on, wax off.” However, it is also way more than that because it reflects how Mr. Han takes an improvisational and personal approach to teaching Dre kung fu, realizing that a newbie like him needs to understand the deeper real-life implications of martial arts.

Mr. Han Using “Jacket On, Jacket Off” With A New Student Would Be Strange

The Training Method Is Too Deeply Associated With Dre

Mr. Han specifically created the “Jacket on, jacket off” method after noticing Dre’s habits and movements in the 2010 Karate Kid reboot. He understood that he would have to help him build a foundation in kung fu through everyday moments instead of making him feel overwhelmed with complex techniques. The movie also uses the training sequence as a comic relief device before Mr. Han proves to Dre that “Kung fu lives in everything we do.” This makes the method deeply personal and tailored to Dre’s needs, reflecting how Han takes a holistic approach to training him.

Since Han created a specific set of natural movements to help Dre understand kung fu, it would make sense if he did the same with his new student in Karate Kid: Legends instead of teaching him the same tried and tested “Jacket on, jacket off” method. If the new film ends up recreating the “Jacket on, jacket off” training, it would not only risk being too similar to the 2010 reboot but also remind viewers of Dre’s absence. To etch its own identity in the franchise, Karate Kid: Legends must avoid rehashing previous training methods and bring something new to the table.

Karate Kid: Legends Should Give Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han A New Iconic Training Style

Han Seems Capable Of Finding New Ways To Instill The Same Fighting Principles

The “Jacket on, jacket off” sequence from 2010’s Karate Kid establishes that Han has mastered kung fu to the point where he sees it all around him. To him, even the simplest action of taking off one’s jacket and putting it back on can become a crucial lesson in discipline, self-defense, and movement. Therefore, it would be fun to see how he uses his extensive knowledge of kung fu’s practicality to devise new methods to train his student in Karate Kid: Legends.

Since the reboot has already established that Han’s teaching methods can change based on the individual needs and the day-to-day habits of his students, he should develop fresh techniques to teach martial arts to Karate Kid: Legends‘ main character, Li Fong. Given how Daniel LaRusso will also be involved in training the new student in Karate Kid: Legends, it seems possible that the film will anyway have its own “Wax on, wax off” training montage. Han could complement this with his own unique spin on traditional training methods.

Karate Kid: Legends (2025) is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.

Release Date

May 30, 2025

Cast

Ralph Macchio
, Jackie Chan
, Ben Wang
, Ming-Na Wen
, Joshua Jackson
, Sadie Stanley
, Aramis Knight
, Wyatt Oleff

Character(s)

Daniel LaRusso
, Mr. Han
, Li Fong

Director

Jonathan Entwistle

Writers

Robert Mark Kamen
, Christopher Murphey
, Rob Lieber

Studio(s)

Columbia Pictures
, Jerry Weintraub Productions
, Overbrook Entertainment
, Sony Pictures Entertainment

Distributor(s)

Sony Pictures Entertainment

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