New Karate Kid Movie Delayed, Reset Release Date Misses Major Anniversary-TGN

Summary

• The much-anticipated new Karate Kid movie has been delayed, missing the original date that aligned with the franchise’s 40th anniversary.

• The delay in the movie’s release is due to ongoing strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.

The upcoming Karate Kid movie has been delayed. While the Karate Kid franchise has continued to expand via the Cobra Kai television show, there has not been a new movie since the 2010 reboot starring Jaden Smith, with the 2024 movie serving as the franchise’s return to movie theaters. The delay comes amidst the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

According to Sony, the untitled new Karate Kid movie will now be released on December 13, 2024. It was originally going to release on June 7, 2024, which is the 40-year-anniversary month of the original Karate Kid movie. The new Karate Kid release date puts it by itself in said weekend, with Marvel’s Thunderbolts and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 following on December 20.

What Will The New Karate Kid Be About?

Given the long-running success of Cobra Kai, which will culminate with six seasons, and the far less popular 2010 reboot, it is more likely that the new movie will be an extension of the established franchise as opposed to another reboot. Cobra Kai has shown that the universe can be expanded with new characters while also continuing the story of Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso, William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence, and other familiar characters. Macchio’s response to Daniel being in the new Karate Kid emphasizes that he is currently focused on finishing Cobra Kai season 6.

In spite of this doubt, Macchio did share that he is open-minded about playing Daniel in a new Karate Kid movie. Unless he is playing coy about it, the actor likely doesn’t have a substantial role in the upcoming movie as the original release date of June 7, 2024 was relatively soon, meaning that the movie was already well into development before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. As for the plot of the movie, Macchio previously expressed interest in a Mr. Miyagi prequel. While the original Karate Kid did reveal some details about Mr. Miyagi’s life, there is still a great deal that is unknown about his origins and backstory.

Making the new Karate Kid a Mr. Miyagi prequel would be much different than the focus of Cobra Kai or the Jaden Smith reboot, but would still connect to the original movies. With the movie taking place before Mr. Miyagi meets Daniel, it also means that Macchio doesn’t need to be in the movie, although a cameo toward the end would be a nice nod to the overall franchise. For now, the delayed release means story details for the new Karate Kid will have to wait.

Source: Sony