Ralph Macchio wasn’t going to let the legacy of Cobra Kai end on a sour note.
The actor, best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid franchise, admitted he was “screaming constantly every day” to make sure the release of Karate Kid: Legends didn’t mess with the show’s finale.
Originally, the film was set to drop in December 2024, just months before Cobra Kai wrapped up its six-season run in February 2025. That overlap didn’t sit right with Macchio. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he shared how adamant he was about getting the release date changed.
“Just so you know,” Macchio said, “when this movie was initially slated for a December 13, 2024 release, I was screaming constantly every day: ‘This movie has to come out after [Cobra Kai] finishes.’”
According to him, once the marketing team saw the potential problem, they agreed. The movie was delayed until May 2025. That move, he believes, will allow fans to finish the TV series and be ready for the next chapter on the big screen.
Macchio added, “Karate Kid: Legends is now coming at a time where I like to believe that Cobra Kai fans are thirsty for another chapter.”
But the movie isn’t just for longtime fans. Macchio is also thinking about newer viewers who might not have seen the original films or even Cobra Kai.
“There’s also brand-new fans who may or may not have even seen Cobra Kai or the original film, that would have a great time at the cinema,” he said.
Describing the film’s tone, Macchio called it “family viewing” and a “positive story of good over evil.” He’s excited about the shared experience it offers and the possibility that it could spark interest in the classic 1984 movie.
“And when you get home, perhaps your uncle pulls out a DVD of the original Karate Kid, and the whole family gets to watch Mr. Miyagi for the first time,” he said. “It’s cool when I have kids run up to me who know who Mr. Miyagi is and think he’s the coolest.”
As for the future of Cobra Kai, Macchio stayed vague but hopeful.
“There are a few balls up in the air,” he said. “You have to be diplomatically safe, and I don’t know which one is going to land. I hope all of them do, or some of them do, or one of them does.”
He hinted that the success of Karate Kid: Legends could spark more spin-offs or stories, saying, “It’s different, but same. There’s a Miyagi-ism for you.”
