Best Karate Kid Movies Ranked by Legacy and Impact

Karate Kid: Legends hits theaters this week, uniting the classic '80s Karate Kid films with the 2010 reboot, originally set in a separate timeline from the iconic franchise.

Featuring Ralph Macchio as karate master Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan as kung fu mentor Mr. Han, Karate Kid: Legends merges these two cinematic worlds in an unprecedented way. To celebrate this milestone, we’ve ranked all five Karate Kid films for you!

Yes, to address your key question, Netflix’s Cobra Kai remains part of the Legends canon. While Cobra Kai characters won’t appear in Legends, the film respects the events of the series. Set three years after the Cobra Kai finale, Legends follows Mr. Han enlisting Daniel LaRusso to train and mentor a new student, Li Fong, portrayed by Ben Wang (American Born Chinese).

Which Karate Kid film stands above the rest? The originals showcase the legendary Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, guiding Daniel (or Hilary Swank’s Julie) through life’s toughest challenges, while the reboot stars Chan and Jaden Smith, reimagining the classic Miyagi/Daniel dynamic. Here’s our ranking of all the Karate Kid movies!

Ranking the Karate Kid Movies