Karate Kid fans will be a little disappointed when The Next Karate Kid leaves Netflix on Jan. 31. The film is the fourth installment in the popular martial arts franchise and the first not to feature Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso.
Directed by Christopher Cain, The Next Karate Kid begins with Mr. Miyagi traveling to Boston to attend a ceremony for Japanese-American soldiers who served in World War II. During the event, he meets Louisa Pierce and her granddaughter Julie (Hilary Swank), who suffers with anger issues due to her parent’s death. Recognizing her struggles, Mr. Miyagi begins to mentor Julie, not only in karate but also in life lessons to help her manage her feelings and find balance.
In true Karate Kid fashion, the film also sees Julie face off with a group of high school bullies who use physical combat to terrorize other students. Although Pat Morita reprises his role as Mr. Miyagi in the 1994 movie, it received largely negative reviews from critics who felt that it didn’t add any value to the franchise. Compared to the flagship 1984 film’s $90.8 million in box office earnings, The Next Karate Kid only managed to bring in $8.9 million.
As a result, the film is most famous for giving Swank her big break. In 2020, Cobra Kai co-creator Justin Hurwitz confirmed that The Next Karate Kid exists in the show’s canon. “It’s our belief that anything that has happened in a movie Mr. Miyagi was in, which includes The Next Karate Kid, is part of the Miyagi-Verse and our series takes place in the Miyagi-Verse,” he explained. “Any character who has lived within this Miyagi-Verse has potential to show up at some point on Cobra Kai.”