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Top Karate Kid Films Ranked

Authore: NovaUpdate:Oct 11,2025

Karate Kid: Legends arrives this week, weaving together the beloved '80s classics with the 2010 reboot - which originally existed as its own standalone universe separate from the classic films.

Seeing Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan unite as karate sensei Daniel LaRusso and kung fu master Mr. Han makes Karate Kid: Legends an unprecedented merging of martial arts worlds. To celebrate this landmark crossover, we're ranking all five Karate Kid films!

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And yes - before you ask - Netflix's Cobra Kai remains firmly part of Legends' canon too. While you won't see Cobra Kai characters appearing, the story acknowledges events from the series, picking up three years after its finale with Mr. Han recruiting Daniel to mentor Ben Wang's Li Fong (American Born Chinese).

But which Karate Kid movie reigns supreme? The original trilogy features the iconic Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi guiding Daniel (and later Hilary Swank's Julie) through adolescence, while the reboot reinvented the dynamic with Chan and Jaden Smith. Here's our definitive ranking!

Karate Kid Films Ranked

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