Karate Kid: Legends, the newest film in the popular martial arts series, has reached the $50 million mark at the worldwide box office through Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Although the movie has covered its paltry $45 million production costs, its future prospects are far from assured.
Soft Opening in North America
Even with a nostalgic setup and the return of such iconic characters, the movie debuted to lukewarm $20 million in North America—short of already conservative forecasts of $25–30 million. This is a notable slide from The Karate Kid (2010), which debuted at $55 million domestically and grossed $359 million globally. While Karate Kid: Legends got a respectable Cinemascore of A-, the attendance hasn’t been translating that goodwill at the North American box office.
Remember what you’re fighting for.
Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, and Ralph Macchio star in Karate Kid: Legends – coming soon exclusively to movie theatres. #KarateKidMovie pic.twitter.com/uxUNfvMUyu
— Karate Kid: Legends (@KarateKidMovie) April 1, 2025
Star Power and Global Hope
The movie brings together Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han in training a new young prodigy, Li Fong (played by Ben Wang). Overseas markets, especially China where Chan is still popular, still haven’t opened up. There’s a hope that Karate Kid: Legends might pick up steam overseas and reach past the $100 million worldwide mark, cementing its status as a box office hit.
Also Read: Karate Kid Legends Dialogues: Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio Unite for an Action-Packed Adventure
Struggle to Compete and Dubious Present
The film is struggling against tough competition from Lilo & Stitch, which grossed $63 million in its second weekend, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which retains steady performance in North America. In the meantime, the Cobra Kai fanbase has not translated into strong box office momentum.
While the movie is already in the black thanks to non-theatrical arrangements, Sony would be cautious to greenlight a sequel unless it experiences a healthier theatrical run over the next few weeks.
