(Nicholas Dye/Staff Writer)

If you would’ve told me decades ago, that the Karate Kid franchise would become one most complex sagas in film and yet, somehow remaining blissfully simplistic, I would’ve called you crazy. Jump ahead to a few days ago when the trailer for Karate Kid Legends drops and I see Ralph Macchio face-to-face with Jackie Chan talking about Mr. Miyagi and I lost my mind. Now, I have always been upfront with being a sponge for useless pop culture knowledge. That being said, my nerd superpower was triggered when I went back to the first film when Mr. Miyagi is talking to Daniel about the roots of karate. He talks about one of his ancestors, drinking strong sake and falling asleep in his fishing boat and waking up off the coast of China. Thus, kung fu influenced this Miyagi ancestor, and Miyagi-do karate was born. In this trailer, Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han seeks out Daniel LaRusso to help train new student. They reference both films and tie them together with the branches of the bonsai tree. Needless to say, I am super excited to see this next chapter, and I proudly share with you the trailer for Karate Kid Legends. In theaters May 30, 2025