As Cobra Kai prepares to wrap up its story in Season 6, tying together the journeys of Daniel LaRusso, Johnny Lawrence, Miguel Diaz, and Robby Keene. While some of these stars will continue on into the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends, the highly anticipated new theatrical installment in the long-running franchise, it seems that one actor not joining them will be franchise veteran Martin Kove.
Following the 2010 reboot starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, a new feature film titled Karate Kid: Legends was confirmed in 2022, with Jackie Chan, Ralph Macchio, and many other stars officially joining the cast. This announcement also confirmed that the original Karate Kid films, the remake, and the Cobra Kai series will all be set in the same shared universe.
During a recent interview with Kyle Meredith, Martin Kove, who plays the iconic Kreese in Cobra Kai, was asked about his return to Karate Kid: Legends, to which he responded that many of the co-stars, including himself, were excluded. He stated:
Well, that was a choice. Robert Kamen didn’t write the script, he wrote all three and wrote brilliance. He helped the writers of Cobra Kai, gave them his blessing. Very few of us were privy to anything of what this movie’s even about. I remember having a wonderful time with my kids and Will Smith in his movie, and he was very concerned about was he loyal to us from our experience of the three films. And he was, but it was still odd to see “No mercy” being said in Japanese as a subtitle. It was a fish-out-of-water, but it took place in Japan, so it didn’t have the American values. And it made money, it did well, it was a decent movie.
On this picture, I don’t know. It’s kept under wraps pretty well. I haven’t talked to Ralph about it; I will. We haven’t had a chance to talk a lot about the movie. None of us were invited to come and play. When they don’t invite me, it’s okay, because I know why: They’re inviting trouble.
Kove’s statements suggest Kreese’s return in Karate Kid: Legends is very unlikely, especially since filming was wrapped up a year ago. This could also imply that certain beloved characters like Johnny (William Zabka) may sit this film out.
Should Kreese Return in ‘Karate Kid: Legends?’
Based on the exclusive trailer shown at the New York Comic Con in October, Karate Kid: Legends seems to be centered on Li Fong, played by Ben Wang, a new protégé of Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). Later, Daniel LaRusso arrives in Beijing to assist Mr. Han in training Li Fong, setting the stage for a potential clash. Will their teaching methods, however, be contradictory or complementary?
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The film seems to be mostly concerned with bridging the remake to the original saga, so certain cameos, such as William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence and Martin Kove’s Kreese, seem rather ambitious from the get-go. Having said that, Kreese was phenomenal in Cobra Kai, and his influence extended far beyond Johnny. As a result, a brief appearance by him at the end of the film could hint at future films while also providing fans with a satisfying nod to the franchise’s roots.
Karate Kid: Legends
- Release Date
- May 30, 2025
- Director
- Jonathan Entwistle