Karate Kid: Legends' cast unites two sections of the franchise, bringing together actors and characters that are both unfamiliar and recognizable.Karate Kid: Legends' spin-off storywas announced as early as 2022, capitalizing on the franchise’s resurgence. While theranking ofKarate Kidmoviesoften sees the latter two installments of the original trilogy looked back upon less fondly, the popularity ofCobra Kaibegan to usher in an era of revisionism for the franchise. WithCobra Kaiseason 6 ending the show, attention turned to the cinematic future of the martial arts series.
Thus,Karate Kid: Legendswas born thanks to the franchise being more popular than ever.Karate Kid: Legendsconnects Mr. Miyagi with Mr. Han, making what seemed like a remake of the 1984 original - 2010’sThe Karate Kid -part of a larger shared universe.Karate Kid: Legendsexplores this even further, uniting two iconic characters from the franchise and seeing the return of their actors, all while introducing new characters after thepopularity ofCobra KaiputThe Karate Kidback on the map as a viable franchise in modern Hollywood.
Jackie Chan as Mr. Han
Date of Birth: July 16, 2025
Actor:Jackie Chan is a Hong Kong actor born in Hong Kong. Chan is one of the most prolific martial arts actors working in Hollywood today, known for his early roles as a slapstick comedian who blended humor with martial artistry. Chan’s early career saw him work in many Hong Kong films as a stuntman, leading toChan’s breakout role inRush Hour.This movie saw Chan earn international fame, leading him to reprise his role in two sequels as well as continuing his work in both Hollywood and Hong Kong.
Chan’s most notable Hollywood works from early in his career includeShanghai Noonand its sequel,ShanghaiKnights.Chan also appeared in the likes ofThe Spy Next Door,2010’sThe Karate Kid,The Foreigner,and provided the voice for Master Monkey in theKung Fu Pandaseries. Beyond that, Chan’s work in Hong Kong is prolific, including a lot of early directing work. For this reason, Chan is one of the most recognizable faces in modern cinema, be it from his extensive list of credits or his work as a stuntman and fight coordinator.
The Foreigner
Quan Ngoc Minh
Character:InKarate Kid: Legends, Jackie Chan reprises his role as Mr. Han from 2010’sThe Karate Kid. This film was initially considered a remake of the original 1984 film, yetKarate Kid: Legendssolidifies the two as existing within the same universe. InThe Karate Kid, Chan’s Mr. Han is a maintenance man working in Beijing, China, who befriended a young child named Dre who had just moved from the United States. After realizing Dre is being bullied by students from a local karate dojo, Mr. Han begrudgingly agrees to train him.
InKarate Kid: Legends, Mr. Han travels to the United States to obtain the help of Daniel LaRusso. Mr. Han trains another student inKarate Kid: Legendsby the name of Li and needs Daniel’s help to train him properly. This stems from Daniel and Han’s shared connection with theever-wise and inspiring Mr. Miyagifrom the originalKarate Kidmovies.
Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso
Date of Birth: June 30, 2025
Actor:Ralph Macchio is an American actor born in Huntington, New York. Macchio’s early career saw him perform in movies likeUp the AcademyandThe Outsiders,as well as the sitcomEight Is Enough.Undoubtedly,Macchio’s breakout role was 1984’sThe Karate Kid, leading to its two sequels and legacy sequel,Cobra Kai. Beyond theKarate Kidfranchise, Macchio is known for his roles in projects likeMy Cousin Vinny, Crossroads,andUgly Betty.
Cobra Kai
Daniel LaRusso
Character:Ralph Macchio plays Daniel LaRusso inKarate Kid: Legends, reprising his role fromThe Karate Kid, The Karate Kid - Part II, The Karate Kid - Part III, andCobra Kai. Daniel LaRusso began similarly to Dre in Mr. Han’s story, as a bullied child moving to a new area. That said, Daniel simply moved to another area of the US, finding himself at odds with a popular group of bullies from the karate dojo Cobra Kai. Like Han and Dre, Daniel befriended the maintenance man of his building, Mr. Miyagi.
Miyagi vowed to teach Daniel karate as a means of standing up to his bullies. Eventually, Daniel becomes the Karate Kid across three movies. InCobra Kai, Daniel reckoned with the resurgence of the titular dojo, finding new enemies and becoming a teacher himself.Karate Kid: Legendsis set years afterCobra Kai, with Daniel agreeing to help Mr. Han train a new fighter in the ways of karate.
Date of Birth: June 19, 2025
Actor:Ben Wang is a Chinese actor born in Shanghai. Wang’s young age means he has a relatively short list of credits thus far, with his earlier work coming in films likeSex Appeal, Chang Can Dunk, andSight. Wang is perhaps best known for his role in the seriesAmerican Born Chinese, as well as his appearance in the 2024 remake ofMean Girls.That said,Karate Kid: Legendsis sure to be Wang’s breakout role, with the film’s popularity spearheading Wang into a new franchise.
Karate Kid: Legends
Li Fong
Character:Ben Wang portrays Li Fong inKarate Kid: Legends. While the latter part of the title applies to Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso, the former part will undoubtedly become eponymous with Ben Wang’s Li Fong. Li is a student of Mr. Han inKarate Kid: Legendsand is fighting for the honor of his family as well as that of his master. Eventually, Li becomes a student of Daniel LaRusso also, with the once-Karate Kid joining forces with Mr. Han to provide the best training possible for Li as the next generation of the franchise is solidified.
Joshua Jackson as Victor
Date of Birth: July 21, 2025
Actor:Joshua Jackson is a Canadian actor born in Vancouver, Canada. Jackson has a long list of credits in the world of TV after beginning an illustrious career in the early 1990s.Jackson’s breakout film performance is one of his first, with the actor rising to fame inThe Mighty Ducksand its sequels. Jackson also had roles inScream 2and a brief cameo as himself inOcean’s Eleven. Where TV is concerned, Jackson is known for a multitude of projects, includingDawson’s Creek, Fringe, The Affair, Dr. Death,andDoctor Odyssey.
Victor
Character:InKarate Kid: Legends, Joshua Jackson portrays Victor. Admittedly, little has been revealed about the character of Victor thus far, including whether his allegiances lie with Li, Mr. Han, and Daniel LaRusso or whether he is more of an antagonist. As more is revealed about the movie, more too will be unveiled about Victor.
Shaunette Renée Wilson as Ms. Morgan
Date of Birth: July 13, 2025
Actor:Shaunette Renée Wilson is an American actor born in Linden, Guyana. Wilson’s career, like Wang’s, is relatively fresh, meaning the actor does not have as extensive a list of credits as Chan, Macchio, or Jackson. Wilson is known for her brief appearance inBlack Panther,leading to a further collaboration with Disney on 2023’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.Wilson is best known for her role in Fox’s medical drama,The Resident,in which she is part of the main cast.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Ms. Morgan
Character:Shaunette Renée Wilson is playing Ms. Morgan inKarate Kid: Legends. Much like with Jackson’s character, Victor, little has been revealed about Ms. Morgan’s role thus far. Given her character’s credit, specifically the use of the title “Ms.,” it can be assumed that Wilson will be playing a figure of authority. This means she could be playing a teacher in Li’s school, or someone the character looks up to.
Karate Kid: Legends Supporting Cast & Characters
Beyond the actors and characters mentioned above,Karate Kid: Legendsincludes several other supporting roles. Well-known actors like Ming-Na Wen, Danny McBride, Aramis Knight, Sadie Stanley, Wyatt Oleff, and Jennifer-Lyn Christie have also been cast in the movie. As of right now, their roles are undisclosed, yet their appearances have been confirmed forKarate Kid: Legends.
Cast
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
