‘The Karate Kid’ Star Reveals the Only Way to Revive Franchise After 2025 Sequel

Ralph Macchio, the actor best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid universe, has addressed the future of the franchise, and confirms “there’s been discussions” about where to take the series. The franchise has been active since 1984, and though it hit a halt with the 2010 reboot, it was revived in 2018 when a TV spin-off proved there was still life in the sports drama series. Cobra Kai came out of nowhere, and by slightly tweaking the tone of the movies, it became a cultural phenomenon. Macchio was one of the many performers who returned, and in 2025, he was able to bring LaRusso again to the big screen in Karate Kid: Legends. But after the last installment, where does the classic franchise go?

Per People Magazine, Macchio was part of the 24 Hour Plays Annual Gala, an event that sees actors doing their best to prepare a play in 24 hours. The 64-year-old actor said the following about the challenge: “I’m feeling great. I’m not gonna necessarily say it’s a bucket lister, but I like to challenge myself. Coming off of the last seven years of what I’ve had with the Cobra Kai series and the Karate Legends movie, and all that high-end kind of stuff, it was just like, ‘Let’s get my hands dirty and let’s cross over without a net.’ That’s how it felt. But a lot of love in the room. And with live theater, not everything’s perfect, but it was perfect for that moment.”

Karate Kid: Legends saw Daniel LaRusso teaming up with Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han to train Li Fong for the Five Boroughs Tournament. Though LaRusso has become a sort of Miyagi-like figure, his role in the story felt underwhelming this time. Regardless, Macchio weighed in on the future of the franchise, without mentioning if his character will ever return. He just says that the series needs a reset, but that maybe he and everyone else involved will “do a few other things”:

“Between the series and the movie with Jackie Chan, all that colliding at the same time, I just think there needs to be a reset. And then finding the perfect way to launch, because the fan base — it’s never gone away. It hasn’t gone away since 1984. But you want to service and be organic, and be true to the integrity of the characters. So that’s always a challenge once you are on the long game.

“Me and the guys who write that show and other actors involved, we’re all open to communicating. But something isn’t coming tomorrow. I don’t have that secret yet. Maybe we do a few other things. And Cobra Kai never dies. Karate Kid lives forever.”

Updates on the Future of ‘Cobra Kai’ Also Remain Quiet

Netflix

There’s no denying that the Netflix comedy series had unexpected success, and seems to be the reason why people are still interested in the original characters, as well as the new ones entering the Karate Kid dojo. Without Cobra Kai, there probably wouldn’t have been a Karate Kid: Legends.

After the series ended, and it proved that the fan base remained loyal, one would have thought that Netflix would have followed up with another season or a spin-off sequel (or prequel). When Season 6 wrapped, the creators of the show teased a spin-off centering around two of the series’ most beloved characters, but nothing was confirmed afterwards. If Netflix is working on the so-called Cobra Kai spin-off, the streamer has been keeping it a secret.