In 1984, martial arts drama, The Karate Kid, high-kicked its way into movie theatres. The film, about an Italian-American teenager who learns martial arts from a karate master, starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.
In the movie, teenager Daniel LaRusso and his mother Lucille (Randee Heller) move from New Jersey to Los Angeles to start a new life. But shortly after moving into their new home, Daniel encounters problems from a group of students who begin to bully him.
Unable to fit in, due to constant harassment, Daniel doesn’t know what to do to fix the situation. But a solution soon presents itself when the apartment handyman, Mr. Miyagi, offers some assistance.
Released to a fairly positive reception from the critics, as well as a healthy box-office, The Karate Kid became a big hit in 1984. The movie was the fifth highest grossing movie of the year in the US, and audiences made it clear they wanted to see more.
Due to the success of the film, a series of sequels soon followed. Some of these sequels featured Daniel LaRusso, while others moved the franchise in a new direction.
But how many Karate Kid movies are there and what are they? For all the karate chopping details and more, keep reading.
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The Karate Kid movies
The Karate Kid (1984)
As noted above, the first instalment in the series was 1984’s The Karate Kid. The film followed the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), and detailed his rise from bullied teen to karate champion.
In the film, Daniel and his mother move from Newark, New Jersey to Reseda, Los Angeles. After moving into their new apartment, they settle in as best as they can and meet humble handyman, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
At first, Mr. Miyagi seems like a sweet, but quiet man. However, when Daniel is bullied by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabaka) and his Cobra Kai gang, Miyagi teaches Daniel karate, so that he can face Johnny in a professional tournament and fight back on equal terms. (126 mins)
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
Due to the popularity of The Karate Kid, a sequel was quickly put into production. The movie – appropriately titled The Karate Kid Part II – arrived in cinemas in 1986 and saw Daniel and Mr. Miyagi travel to Okinawa Island, to deal with issues relating to Miyagi’s past. (113 mins)
The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Upon release, The Karate Kid Part II proved to be another box-office success, prompting another sequel. This next instalment arrived in cinemas in 1989 under the title, The Karate Kid Part III.
In this film, Daniel and Miyagi return from Okinawa, but soon come to a disagreement about Daniel’s desire to defend his tournament title. This puts Daniel on a path toward businessman, Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), who offers to train him, but has an ulterior motive. (112 mins)
The Next Karate Kid (1994)
After the conclusion of The Karate Kid Part III, the movie series appeared to have come to an end. However, a decision was made to continue the films via a new entry, The Next Karate Kid.
In this movie, Mr. Miyagi travels to Boston to attend a special service to commemorate Japanese-American soldiers who fought in World War II. While in Boston, Miyagi meets rebellious teen, Julie Pierce (Hilary Swank), who clearly needs his help. (107 mins)
The Karate Kid (2010)
Upon release, The Next Karate Kid was both a critical and commercial failure, which essentially put an end to the movie series. For all intents and purposes, the movies were done and dusted, ending after four entries.
However, in 2010 a decision was made to revive the series. But rather than create a new sequel, to continue what had come before, it was decided it would be better to cut ties and try something else.
The plan was to create a stand-alone entry, that would remake the original film. The movie – simply titled The Karate Kid – would follow a similar story to the 1984 picture, but would introduce new characters and a new setting.
Moving the action to China, the film followed the story of 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith), who moves to Bejing with his mother. However, after Dre starts getting bullied, he seeks assistance from maintenance man, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). (140 mins)
Karate Kid: Legends (2025)
Although 2010’s The Karate Kid was conceived as a stand-alone film, with no direct ties to the four previous instalments, this all changed in 2025 when it was announced that a new movie was on the horizon. This sixth film would retroactively tie 2010’s The Karate Kid back into the franchise, to make all of the films part of the same series.
This new film would feature Daniel LaRusso from Parts I – III, as well as Mr. Han from 2010’s The Karate Kid. Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan would reprise their respective roles, while moving the series forward with new lead protagonist, Li Fong. (94 mins)
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The Karate Kid movies in order
Should you wish to watch all six Karate Kid movies in order, then follow this list:
- The Karate Kid (1984)
- The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
- The Next Karate Kid (1994)
- The Karate Kid (2010)
- Karate Kid: Legends (2025)
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Who are the cast of the Karate Kid films and are the movies the work of the same director?
Notable cast members in the Karate Kid movie series include Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki ‘Pat’ Morita, Martin Kove, William Zabka, Elisabeth Shue, Hilary Swank, Michael Ironside, Randee Heller, Rob Garrison, Ron Thomas, Chad McQueen, Robyn Liveley, Tony O’Dell, Frances Bay, Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, and Ming-Na Wen.
In terms of directors, the Karate Kid movies are the work of the following:
- John G. Avildsen directed The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II, and The Karate Kid Part III
- Christopher Cain directed The Next Karate Kid
- Harald Zwart directed The Karate Kid 2010
- Jonathan Entwistle directed Karate Kid: Legends
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Which is the best Karate Kid film?
According to IMDb The Karate Kid movies are rated as follows:
- The Karate Kid (1984) – 7.3/10
- The Karate Kid Part II (1986)– 6.1/10
- The Karate Kid Part III (1989)– 5.3/10
- The Next Karate Kid (1994)– 4.5/10
- The Karate Kid (2010)– 6.2/10
- Karate Kid: Legends (2025) – 6.5/10
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