The New Karate Kid Movie With Ralph Macchio Just Got A Lot More Exciting 3 Months Before It Comes Out

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6 finale.

Karate Kid: Legends

is set to continue the legacy of the series that started in 1984, and months ahead of the movie’s premiere, things just got a lot more exciting. In the run-up to the new movie, which is set to bring back stars like Ralph Macchio, who starred in the original trilogy, and Jackie Chan, who appeared in the 2010 remake, there has been a lot of speculation about how the movie would deal with the events of the recent Cobra Kai series. The show’s immense popularity made it appear that the movie would either have to address its events, or steamroll the series and rewrite events.

However, the popularity of the show demands that it get some sort of attention. With the series wrapping up it’s sixth and final series months ahead of Karate Kid: Legends’ release, there has been speculation about how the movie could tie-in with Cobra Kai, but now, that doesn’t appear to be too much of a concern. And that is all thanks to the clever and efficient way that Cobra Kai wrapped up their story, without needing to impact on the events of the sequel film.

Karate Kid: Legends Won’t Ruin Anything Cobra Kai Has Done Based On How Season 6 Ended

Cobra Kai Managed To Pull Off An Epic Ending

Karate Kid: Legends has the chance to wipe away all the progress and development that came out of Cobra Kai, and up until the show’s final episodes, it appeared as though it might have to make some sort of retcons. At the very least, the inclusion of Ralph Macchio, who has spent years working closely with his former martial arts rival, Johnny Lawrence, appeared like it would need some edits to make it fit with a narrative where his character, Daniel LaRusso, goes off to work with Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han. But the Cobra Kai ending wrapped things up and left the characters in strong positions.

10 Big Differences Between Karate Kid: Legends & Cobra Kai

Karate Kid: Legends already looks very different from Cobra Kai, with several standout elements marking the two as very opposite stories.

Johnny Lawrence reopened the Cobra Kai dojo as the sensei there, the kids are all either training, teaching, or off doing their own things with branded partnerships and college, and LaRusso pitches in to help give the Cobra Kai kids some balance at Miyagi-Do. Lawrence also has a new child, and is focused on his young family, while LaRusso’s kids are much older, and his business is at a strong established point where he can take steps back.

Cobra Kai Season 6 Doesn’t Set Up Karate Kid: Legends (And That’s Not A Bad Thing)

The Two Projects Are Largely Independent Corners Of The Karate Kid Universe

In this way, LaRusso finds himself freed up to go on an adventure with Mr. Han, and there is a chance that some sort of crossover could occur, but the series did not give away anything that explicitly sets up the movie. And honestly, in an era when movies and shows are obsessively trying to find ways to establish the next big thing, this is a refreshing take on the end of such a popular series. While at the same time, it leaves the door open for connections to appear.

LaRusso is set to work with Mr. Han to train a young martial arts prodigy. The events of the story appear to take place in New York, far away from LaRusso’s family, and from Lawrence’s Cobra Kai dojo. However, there does appear to be links between Mr. Miyagi and Mr. Han, which is an exciting and fresh premise that does not require the audience to watch the Cobra Kai series, and likewise, does not detract from Cobra Kai’s story. Ultimately, this is the right call for Karate Kid: Legends’ to make the movie as strong and independent as possible.