How Many Karate Kid Movies Are There in Order?

If you’re a fan of the Karate Kid franchise, you may have lost track of the number of movies that have been released over the years. There are eight films in the Karate Kid series, including the four original movies featuring Daniel LaRusso, the spin-off movie centered on Mr. Miyagi’s past, a reboot movie, and two spin-off TV series. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at each of these films in order.

The Original Karate Kid Trilogy

The original Karate Kid trilogy features Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who moves from New Jersey to California and struggles to adjust to his new life. Daniel is relentlessly bullied by a group of karate students led by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), but he eventually finds a mentor in Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), a wise and skilled martial arts master.

1. The Karate Kid (1984): The first film in the series was released in 1984 and was directed by John G. Avildsen. In this movie, we see Daniel struggle to fit in and make friends until he meets Mr. Miyagi, who teaches him the art of karate. Daniel ultimately faces off against Johnny in a tournament, where he emerges victorious. The Karate Kid was a huge success and grossed over $90 million at the box office.

2. The Karate Kid Part II (1986): The sequel picks up where the first film left off, with Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling to Okinawa, Japan, to visit Mr. Miyagi’s dying father. Daniel faces new challenges in Japan and must protect Mr. Miyagi from his old friend-turned-enemy. The Karate Kid Part II was also a box office success, grossing over $115 million worldwide.

3. The Karate Kid Part III (1989): The third film in the series sees Daniel face off against a new enemy, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who is a friend of his old foe Johnny. Terry manipulates Daniel into becoming his pupil and uses him to exact revenge on Mr. Miyagi. Although The Karate Kid Part III wasn’t as successful as the previous films, it still managed to gross nearly $40 million.

The Next Karate Kid

4. The Next Karate Kid (1994): The next installment in the Karate Kid series was a spin-off movie that didn’t feature Daniel or Mr. Miyagi. Instead, it focused on a new character, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank), who is a troubled teenage girl that Mr. Miyagi takes under his wing. Julie learns karate to defend herself against bullies and ultimately faces off against a group of thugs. Although The Next Karate Kid wasn’t a huge success, it did introduce audiences to Hilary Swank, who would go on to win two Academy Awards.

The Karate Kid Reboot

5. The Karate Kid (2010): The Karate Kid reboot featured Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, a young boy who moves to China with his mother and struggles to adjust to his new life. Dre befriends Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who teaches him kung fu so that he can defend himself against a group of bullies. The Karate Kid reboot was a box office success, grossing over $350 million worldwide.

The Karate Kid TV Series

After the success of the Karate Kid reboot, two spin-off TV series were produced, both of which continue the original story.

6. Cobra Kai (2018-present): Cobra Kai is a TV series that picks up 34 years after the events of the first film. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence, who has fallen on hard times and decides to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo. He begins to mentor a new student, Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña), who becomes the new face of the Cobra Kai legacy. At the same time, Daniel LaRusso is struggling to maintain balance in his life and decides to open his own dojo. Cobra Kai has been a huge success and is now in its fourth season.

7. Karate Kid: The Animated Series (1989-1990): Karate Kid: The Animated Series ran for two seasons and features Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling the world and facing off against various villains. The series was not as successful as the films, but it still has a loyal following.

The Future of the Karate Kid

It seems that the Karate Kid franchise is far from over. Cobra Kai has proven to be incredibly successful, and there are rumors of a spin-off movie centered around Mr. Miyagi’s past. There are also reports that a fifth Karate Kid movie featuring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka is in the works.

In conclusion, there have been eight films in the Karate Kid series, including four original movies, a spin-off movie, a reboot movie, and two spin-off TV series. Although some of these films were more successful than others, the Karate Kid franchise has proven to be a fan favorite for over 30 years.

The Karate Kid Movies – An Overview

The Karate Kid is an iconic martial arts movie that gained popularity in the 1980s. Starring Ralph Macchio as the protagonist, the movie revolved around a young boy who learns martial arts and life lessons from his mentor, Mr. Miyagi. The original movie was released in 1984, and since then, several sequels and spin-offs have been produced. In this blog post, we’ll be answering one of the most frequently asked questions about the Karate Kid franchise – how many Karate Kid movies are there in order?

How Many Karate Kid Movies Are There In Order?

In total, there are four Karate Kid movies that are considered part of the original franchise. These movies are:

1. The Karate Kid (1984)

2. The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

3. The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

4. The Next Karate Kid (1994)

Apart from these four movies, a reboot of the franchise was produced in 2010, which starred Jaden Smith as the main character and Jackie Chan as his mentor. This reboot is not considered part of the original Karate Kid franchise and is often referred to as simply The Karate Kid (2010).

What is the Order of the Karate Kid Movies?

The order of the Karate Kid movies is as follows:

1. The Karate Kid (1984)

2. The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

3. The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

4. The Next Karate Kid (1994)

It’s important to note that these four movies follow the original storyline and are considered part of the original franchise. The Karate Kid (2010) is a standalone reboot of the franchise and is not part of this order.

What is The Karate Kid (2010)?

The Karate Kid (2010) is a reboot of the original Karate Kid franchise that was released in 2010. Directed by Harald Zwart, the movie starred Jaden Smith as the protagonist and Jackie Chan as his mentor. The reboot follows a similar storyline to the original movie, with the main character moving to a new city and learning martial arts to defend himself against bullies. While the reboot was received positively by critics and audiences, it is not considered part of the original Karate Kid franchise and is often referred to as a standalone movie.

Is Cobra Kai a Karate Kid Movie?

Cobra Kai is a TV series that serves as a sequel to the original Karate Kid franchise. The series was released on YouTube Premium in 2018 and later moved to Netflix. The show takes place 34 years after the events of the original movie, with both Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprising their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively. While the show is not a Karate Kid movie, it is a continuation of the original franchise and features several references to the movies.

How Many Karate Kid Movies Are There in Order?

Introduction

The Karate Kid franchise is one of the most popular movie series of all time. The unique way in which it blends action, drama, and romance has made it a fan favorite since it first hit the big screens in 1984. Several sequels and a remake have been released over the decades but sometimes it can be confusing to keep track of them all. This guide will answer the question, „how many Karate Kid movies are there in order?“ and also provide a brief summary of each movie.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. The Karate Kid (1984)

The original Karate Kid movie starred Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who moves to California from New Jersey and gets bullied by a gang of karate students. He is trained by the wise and patient karate master Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) who teaches him not only how to fight but also valuable life lessons. The movie was a box office sensation and launched Macchio and Morita to stardom.

2. The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

This sequel picks up where the first movie left off with Daniel and Mr. Miyagi returning to his home village in Okinawa, Japan. Daniel gets involved in a romantic relationship with a young woman (Tamlyn Tomita) and ends up fighting her ex-boyfriend in a karate duel. The movie was a success and grossed even more than the first one.

3. The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

The third movie in the series takes a darker turn as Daniel is manipulated by a ruthless businessman (Thomas Ian Griffith) who wants him to fight in a tournament. Mr. Miyagi is reluctant to train him this time as he knows that Daniel’s opponent is too strong for him. The movie was not as successful as the first two but still made a decent profit.

4. The Next Karate Kid (1994)

This movie introduces a new protagonist, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank), a troubled teenage girl who is mentored by Mr. Miyagi. Together, they take on a group of bullies at her school and help her find the strength to overcome her personal demons. The movie received mixed reviews and was a box office disappointment.

5. The Karate Kid (2010)

This is a remake of the original movie with Jaden Smith (son of Will Smith) playing the role of Dre Parker, a young boy who moves to China and learns kung fu from a maintenance man (Jackie Chan) to defend himself against bullies. The movie was a critical and commercial success.

Conclusion

So there you have it, a comprehensive answer to the question, „how many Karate Kid movies are there in order?“ Although there have been five movies in total, the first three are considered to be part of the original trilogy. The franchise has touched the hearts of audiences for decades and left a significant impact on popular culture. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a new viewer, there’s no better time to revisit these classic movies.