The Karate Kid is one of those unforgettable 80s films that captured the cultural zeitgeist and left an indelible mark on pop culture. The movie, starring Ralph Macchio as an underdog teen and Pat Morita as his karate mentor, Mr. Miyagi, popularized karate and other martial arts for a generation of young viewers.
Daniel LaRusso became an instant icon as the skinny young karate student facing impossible odds against his bullies – yet coming out on top through hard work, perseverance, and Mr. Miyagi’s wisdom. The crane kick in the climactic fight scene is justifiably one of the most memorable movie moments of the decade.
Coming out in 1984, The Karate Kid rode the wave of action flicks dominating theatres in the 80s. But by putting a focus on a relatable teen protagonist along with messages about confidence, resilience, friendship, and the importance of hard work, it forged its own path and genre within the action space.
The success of The Karate Kid led to a surge of other martial arts and ninja movies in the mid-80s, with Karate Kid spawning a franchise of its own. But the original film remains the high water mark thanks to the chemistry between Morita and Macchio as the old master and student.
Much of the movie’s success could be attributed in no small measure to the seminal Rocky franchise. Before Rocky, sports films weren’t as popular with mainstream audiences. Curiously enough, both films were helmed by director John G. Avildsen – a common link that might explain why, at some point, there were rumours of a possible crossover. A match made in martial arts heaven, seeing two heavyweights like Daniel and Rocky share the ring sounds like the stuff of dreams for legions of fans. Alas, it never came to be.
At Fan Expo Dallas, Karate Kid veterans Ralph Macchio and William Zabka weighed in on how the potential crossover would play out. Macchio says that the original idea was, “What if Rocky had a kid and LaRusso had a kid and they fought at some point.” This feels a bit closer to the action we see in Cobra Kai than it does proper Karate Kid, but that’s to be expected, considering the massive popularity of the sequel series.
Still, that’s not all we heard from Macchio and Zabka regarding the scrapped crossover. When asked who would win in a match between LaRusso and Rocky, both actors agreed that it would be an easy victory for the Italian Stallion. Moreover, Macchio admitted that he’d “Have to bow to Rocky” as the character was his hero as a kid growing up in the 70s.
Funnily enough, even if there wasn’t a crossover between The Karate Kid and Rocky, it’s great to see that the two iconic series are still going strong to this day. With the success of Cobra Kai and Creed, an entirely new generation of fans has seen the appeal of these seminal films – a testament to the enduring legacy of Avildsen as a visionary in the field of sports movies.
