Ironically, the factor that would have destroyed the legacy sequel that is synonymous with Cobra Kai is one that Karate Kid: Legends is avoiding. Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, two franchise mainstays, will rejoin in the May 2025 release of Karate Kid: Legends. Although the ensemble of Karate Kid: Legends will include new characters from the franchise, such as Ben Wang as the youthful fighter who serves as the title character, Macchio and Chan are unquestionably the highlights of the legacy sequel that connects the storylines of Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso.

Karate Kid: Legends comes as the next step in the franchise after the conclusion of Cobra Kai season 6, a TV spin-off of the original 1984 movie. Interestingly, the connections between Karate Kid: Legends and Cobra Kai are expected to be minimal. While Macchio has been a mainstay of Cobra Kai since its inception, the new film is rumored to take place three years after the TV show. This will allow Karate Kid: Legends to stand on its own in many ways, with none being more important than the film avoiding an element that is closely associated with Cobra Kai.