(Photo by Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)
The Rocky formula struck gold again with The Karate Kid, resonating with audiences upon its 1984 debut, and inspiring a new generation with peak physical attitude and its classic underdog story. They were both directed by John G. Avildsen, who imbues these sporting films with grounded humanity, and both, mirroring their hero’s journey, were small productions that few believed in before making a big impact upon American culture.
Ralph Macchio stars as Daniel LaRusso who is uprooted from bucolic New Jersey to the hard-scrabbled open arena of the San Fernando Valley, taking up martial arts to defend (some say instigate?) in fights with SoCal toughs. Pat Morita is his mentor and sensei, Mr. Miyagi, and across the first three films form one of the iconic movie duos of the 1980s and beyond. In writing and portrayal of Miyagi, there is depth and history to the Okinawa-born World War II U.S. vet, and Morita was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, the first Asian-American to do so.
The Karate Kid grossed $130 upon release, launching a franchise that was quickly fleshed out with The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). Macchio departed but Norita stuck around for 1994’s The Next Karate Kid, starring Hilary Swank. A reboot, starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, was released in 2010, and unlike the last few entries, that one was a swift box office success near on par with the original.
Next, the series took it inside, direct to internet and streaming, with the Cobra Kai series starting in 2018, starring William Zabka as long-time franchise foil Johnny Lawrence in a re-examined center role. Just like most else with the Karate Kid series, expectations were laughably low but it’s endured as a sleeper hit and now a pop cultural force in its own right.
And in 2025, it’s back to theaters with an yet-to-be-titled sequel (though signs point to Karate Kid), which will combine all timelines of the Miyagi-verse, with the 2010 reboot’s Chan mixing it up with Macchio. Until then, we’re ranking all The Karate Kid movies by Tomatometer!
89%
67%
45%
15%
7%
