‘Karate Kid: Legends’ unveils emotional scenes with Ralph Macchio, Ben Wang, and Jackie Chan at CinemaCon 2025

The much-awaited Karate Kid: Legends has generated a massive buzz since its announcement at CinemaCon 2025. The legendary Jackie Chan, who has become synonymous with martial arts cinema, will be returning as Mr Han, but this time, he will be sharing the screen with Ralph Macchio, returning as Daniel LaRusso. The sequel, based on the events of Cobra Kai, is going to treat the audience to a mix of the old-school martial arts and new talent, as new star Ben Wang will be joining the cast as Li Fong.

In Karate Kid: Legends, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr Han (Jackie Chan) will team up to instruct Li Fong, a kung fu phenom who has relocated to New York after a family crisis. Their combined efforts will introduce Li to Miyagi karate, merging their two martial arts styles.

At the CinemaCon 2025 preview, the Ralph and Ben introduced a poignant scene in which Mr. Han pays tribute to the deceased Mr. Miyagi.

Before unveiling the footage, Ben Wang humorously shared how Ralph Macchio had him doing chores, including waxing his car. Ralph playfully called it “hazing” the new guy. The new footage featured an emotional scene with Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han paying tribute to Mr. Miyagi while bonding with Daniel LaRusso. Another clip showcased intense action as the characters trained together.

While the general premise of the film is Li's own coming of age and martial arts learning, it is the mentorship of Mr. Han and Daniel that makes the story more applicable to the original Karate Kid films. Their background and understanding of the martial arts community will guide Li through the challenges that he encounters, continuing the legacy of Mr. Miyagi to the next generation.

The new film provides a nice blend of old and new to make the Karate Kid franchise as up-to-date as possible. Under the direction of Jonathan Entwistle, Karate Kid: Legends provides a thrilling action-packed plot with an emotional core based on friendship, mentorship, and personal resilience. The fans will get to enjoy the film, continuing the series of Cobra Kai with a twist, as Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio once more recreate their martial arts moves on the screen.

Scheduled to be released on May 30, 2025, Karate Kid: Legends will be a retro-style throwback to the Karate Kid franchise.