Which Karate Kid Movies Are Canon in Cobra Kai?

Cobra Kai is the popular sequel series to the iconic ’80s movie, The Karate Kid, which has captured the hearts of generations of fans. The show follows the lives of the original Karate Kid characters, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), as they mentor a new generation of karate students.

But with so many Karate Kid movies out there, it can be confusing to know which ones are considered canon in the Cobra Kai universe. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the Karate Kid movies that are canon in Cobra Kai and why.

The Karate Kid (1984)

The original Karate Kid movie, released in 1984, is the foundation on which Cobra Kai is built. It tells the story of Daniel LaRusso, a teenager from New Jersey who moves to California and becomes the target of a group of bullies led by Johnny Lawrence.

Daniel trains under the tutelage of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), a handyman who teaches him karate and life lessons. The film ends with Daniel defeating Johnny in the All-Valley Karate Tournament, cementing his place as a karate champion.

This movie is absolutely canon in Cobra Kai. The events of this movie continue to affect the characters, and the series often references them.

The Karate Kid Part II (1986)

The Karate Kid Part II picks up right where the original left off, with Daniel and Mr. Miyagi traveling to Okinawa, Japan, to attend Mr. Miyagi’s father’s funeral. While there, Daniel gets involved in a love triangle and a battle with a rival dojo’s karate students.

Though this movie is not essential to understanding the events of Cobra Kai, it is still canon. Characters from this movie appear in later Karate Kid movies, and Cobra Kai doesn’t ignore these events.

The Karate Kid Part III (1989)

In The Karate Kid Part III, Daniel faces a new villain, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who seeks revenge against Daniel and Mr. Miyagi for their defeat of his friend, John Kreese (Martin Kove). Daniel struggles with confidence issues and Mr. Miyagi tries to help him regain his strength before the All-Valley Karate Tournament.

This movie is cannon in the Cobra Kai universe but is often seen as the weakest of the Karate Kid movies. However, it still has a significant impact on the events of Cobra Kai, and its events are still referenced.

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

The Next Karate Kid is often forgotten when discussing the Karate Kid movies. This movie stars a young Hilary Swank as Julie Pierce, a teenage girl who lost her parents in a car accident and is sent to live with her grandfather, who just happens to be Mr. Miyagi.

While this movie might not be essential to understanding the events of Cobra Kai, Mr. Miyagi’s appearance in this movie continues his character arc and furthers his relationship with Julie, which may come up again in future seasons of Cobra Kai. It is considered cannon in the series.

The Karate Kid (2010)

The Karate Kid remake was released in 2010, starring Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, a young boy who moves from Detroit to Beijing and faces bullying from a group of students, including Liang (Zhenwei Wang). Dre meets Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who teaches him kung fu and helps him prepare for a martial arts tournament.

The events of this movie are not canon in the Cobra Kai universe. Though there are similarities between The Karate Kid (2010) and the original, the characters, events, and locations are different, and there is no reference to this film by Cobra Kai’s writers or producers.

Which Karate Kid Movies are Canon in Cobra Kai?

Introduction

Cobra Kai is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on May 2, 2018, on YouTube Premium, and later moved to Netflix. The series is a continuation of the Karate Kid film series, and it focuses on the rivalry between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, who are both now adults. However, some fans of the Karate Kid franchise are confused about which Karate Kid movies are canon in Cobra Kai. This blog post will provide answers to the most frequently asked questions about the topic.

Question 1: Are all the Karate Kid movies canon in Cobra Kai?

No, not all the Karate Kid movies are canon in Cobra Kai. In fact, only the first three Karate Kid movies are considered canon in the series. This means that the events in The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986), and The Karate Kid Part III (1989) are consistent with the events in Cobra Kai.

Question 2: Why are only the first three Karate Kid movies canon in Cobra Kai?

The reason why only the first three Karate Kid movies are canon in Cobra Kai is that they were the only ones that were directed by John G. Avildsen, who also directed the first two Rocky movies. Avildsen was responsible for establishing the mythology of the Karate Kid franchise, which is why the writers of Cobra Kai have decided to stick to his vision.

Question 3: What about The Next Karate Kid and the 2010 remake?

The Next Karate Kid (1994) and the 2010 Karate Kid remake are not considered canon in Cobra Kai. The Next Karate Kid was directed by Christopher Cain and starred Hilary Swank as the new karate student, Julie Pierce, and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi. The 2010 remake was directed by Harald Zwart and starred Jaden Smith as the new karate student, Dre Parker, and Jackie Chan as Mr. Han.

Question 4: Are there any references to The Next Karate Kid or the 2010 remake in Cobra Kai?

Although The Next Karate Kid and the 2010 remake are not considered canon in Cobra Kai, there have been some references to them in the series. For example, in season 2 of Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso watches The Next Karate Kid on TV, and he says, „That’s not Miyagi-Do.“ This suggests that Daniel does not consider The Next Karate Kid to be a part of the official Karate Kid canon.

Question 5: Are there any plans to bring back characters from The Next Karate Kid or the 2010 remake in Cobra Kai?

As of now, there are no plans to bring back characters from The Next Karate Kid or the 2010 remake in Cobra Kai. However, the show’s creators have not ruled out the possibility of doing so in the future.

How to Determine which Karate Kid Movies are Canon in Cobra Kai

If you’re a fan of the Cobra Kai series, chances are you’ve wondered which Karate Kid movies are considered canon in the show. The original Karate Kid film hit theaters in 1984 and gained major success, leading to three sequels and a reboot in 2010. Cobra Kai takes place 34 years after the original movie and continues the story of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso. With so many movies and a TV show, it can be hard to determine which ones are considered canon. In this guide, we’ll take you through the step-by-step process to help you figure it out.

Step 1: Watch the Original Karate Kid

The first and most important step in determining which Karate Kid movies are canon in Cobra Kai is to go back to where it all started – the original 1984 Karate Kid movie. This movie sets the foundation for the entire franchise and introduces us to the main characters, including Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso. The scenes and character development in this movie are referenced throughout Cobra Kai, so it’s essential that you don’t skip this step.

Step 2: View the Sequels and Reboot

After re-watching the original movie, it’s time to move on to the sequels and the reboot. The next three movies, Karate Kid II, Karate Kid III, and The Next Karate Kid all involve some of the characters from the first movie, but they have different story arcs and introduce new characters. For example, in Karate Kid II, Daniel travels to Okinawa with Mr. Miyagi to visit his dying father and falls in love with a girl named Kumiko. In Karate Kid III, Daniel is once again targeted by his rival but is also introduced to a new character named Terry Silver, who becomes his new antagonist. The Next Karate Kid introduces a new protagonist, Julie Pierce, who learns karate from Mr. Miyagi after losing her parents in a car accident.

The rebooted movie titled The Karate Kid, released in 2010, stars Jackie Chan as Mr. Han and Jaden Smith as Dre Parker. This movie takes place in China and follows a similar storyline to the first Karate Kid movie.

While these movies all feature characters from the original movie, they are not considered to be canon in Cobra Kai. However, there are small references to some of these movies throughout the show, so it’s still worth watching them to gain a better understanding of the overall franchise.

Step 3: Watch Cobra Kai

The final step is to watch Cobra Kai itself. The show is set 34 years after the events of the original movie and follows the lives of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso as adults. The series was created by the writers of the original movie and features flashbacks to the 1980s as well as new challenges and conflicts for the characters to face.

In terms of canon, Cobra Kai only considers the events of the first Karate Kid movie to be canon. This means that anything that happened in the sequels or the reboot is not considered to be part of the show’s continuity. However, as mentioned earlier, there are some small references to the sequels and the reboot scattered throughout the show, but they are not necessary to understand the story.

Conclusion

Determining which Karate Kid movies are canon in Cobra Kai takes a bit of work, but it’s worth it to gain a better understanding of the franchise. The original Karate Kid movie is the most important one to watch, as it sets up the foundation for the entire series. The sequels and the reboot are not considered canon in Cobra Kai, but they’re still worth watching to see the continuation of the characters‘ storylines. Finally, remembering that only the first Karate Kid movie is considered to be canon in Cobra Kai is crucial in understanding the show’s continuity. With this guide, you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself in the world of Cobra Kai and appreciate the show’s references to the beloved Karate Kid franchise.