We are all set to wax on, as Sony has announced a new movie set in the Karate Kid franchise.
The franchise has not seen a new film since the 2010 reboot starring Jackie Chan and the son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Jaden Smith. However, that does not mean the Karate Kid franchise has been dormant this entire time, as the highly successful Cobra Kai series has just released its fifth season on Netflix. According to Variety, Sony announced that it was making the film by updating its roster of films, with a new Karate Kid movie slated for June 7, 2024.
It’s unclear what the plot of the film will be and whether it will be a continuation of the storylines featured in Cobra Kai or a reboot of the original film. For all we know, Sony could very well bring back Chan and Smith for the film and make it a sequel to the 2010 reboot, or even bring the many storylines in the Karate Kid Universe together somehow with Ralph Macchio and Smith appearing in the same film. Sony has described the movie as the “return of the original Karate Kid franchise,” which could hint that Macchio’s journey as Daniel LaRusso is far from over.
It would seem odd not to capitalize on the success of Cobra Kai and get those characters a larger budget for a movie. But again, whether this will be the case or if Sony will opt to start from scratch with a reboot has not yet been announced. Since the film will be released in 2024, production is sure to begin soon, so we should have an idea of what it will entail sooner rather than later. Let’s just hope that the film does not interfere with the genius of Cobra Kai as they seem to be having a very good run.
Sony did not just announce a new Karate Kid film without altering its schedule, as two other Sony movies have been pushed back. Surprising nobody they are Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web. Kraven the Hunter now has a release date of Oct. 6, 2023, slipping from Jan. 13, 2023. Whereas Madame Web now has a release date of Feb. 16, 2024, slipping from Oct. 6, 2023. This could be due to Morbius, the other film in their Sony Spider-Verse underperforming, or it could have to do with production issues or reshoots. Interestingly another movie set in that world has been scheduled for 2024. This could be Venom 3 or it could be something else, perhaps a new Spider-Man film.
All five seasons of Cobra Kai are available to stream on Netflix, while a new Karate Kid movie is scheduled to release on June 7, 2024.