The original Karate Kid and Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio responds to whether he will return as Daniel LaRusso in Sony’s next Karate Kid movie.
Actor Ralph Macchio, who brought Daniel LaRusso to life in the original Karate Kid films, has spoken about whether his character will return in the franchise’s next movie. In September 2022, Sony surprisingly announced they were releasing a new Karate Kid movie in June 2024. While it is not yet clear what direction this new film will take, it was revealed that it would not be connected to the Cobra Kai sequel series in which Macchio returned alongside his original co-star William Zabka.
In a recent interview on the 20 Questions: On Deadline podcast, Macchio spoke about whether he had been approached by Sony to appear in the upcoming film. Admitting that he is currently preoccupied with finishing his work on Cobra Kai season 6, he revealed that he hasn’t thought about the future. Nonetheless, he remains open to the possibility of returning as Daniel LaRusso if that is the direction the new film takes. Check out his comments below:
“I haven’t taken my phone off the hook for anything that makes sense. Right now, I’m locked up with the Netflix and Sony contract for finishing out season 6. After what’s happened these last couple of years, I can’t predict what that future will be, but to be close-minded about any of it would be a disservice to the character, so let’s see where that lands.”
How Will The New Karate Kid Movie Connect To The Original Films?
At this stage, it is not entirely clear whether Sony’s new Karate Kid movie will take the form of another franchise reboot or serve as a continuation of the original films. Currently, either option seems fraught with a range of issues, given both the franchise’s history and the current success of the Cobra Kai sequel series. With 2010’s The Karate Kid reboot starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith already failing to resonate with viewers, the decision to try again and pursue a second reboot makes little sense.
However, the idea of creating a legacy sequel that retroactively ignores the Cobra Kai events is equally problematic. Given the high praise the series has already garnered for remaining true to the original films’ spirit, it would be folly to create an alternate timeline that would exist in direct competition with Cobra Kai’s own continuation of the Miyagi-verse. Also, Cobra Kai’s enormous popularity would instantly place any alternate sequel in a difficult position.
Perhaps the best idea for where the next Karate Kid movie could go comes directly from Macchio himself. Last year, the actor spoke with Screen Rant about his wishes to see a prequel that explored the origins of Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi. Not only would such a move serve to fill in the backstory of a much-beloved character, but it could also potentially avoid the challenges inherent in the other two main options. Whatever direction Sony ultimately decides, it will be interesting to see what else the future has in store for the Karate Kid franchise.
