Ralph Macchio Reveals Daniel LaRusso’s Surprising New Destiny in Karate Kid Legends

by

Ralph Macchio will once again play Daniel LaRusso, with Jackie Chan portraying Mr. Han, as seen in the 2010 revival of “The Karate Kid.” Having joined forces with William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence on “Cobra Kai,” Macchio states that his character’s current state is right where he envisioned life would lead him.

Macchio explained, “He’s become more stable, with a touch of Miyagi about him, which is why he ended up that way at the end of Cobra Kai. A few years have passed, and it felt right for me then. He’s at a point where I thought he would eventually be, even in the past. So, helping someone who needs some direction and support, someone facing a similar situation to young Daniel LaRusso back in the day, seemed like a thrilling, innovative way to appeal to a new generation, with the character of Ben Wang.

After playing Daniel for all these years, the upcoming film presented an exhilarating and refreshing change of pace for Macchio, who described it as, “being around Jackie Chan is like being around a kid in a candy store“. He added that Jackie has this incredible energy, always eager to be on set, passionate about making movies, and often the first one there and last to leave. In fact, he’s not shy about helping with setting up lights and microphones if needed. His enthusiasm is truly contagious, and it was a thrilling and novel experience for me.

Macchio Was Nervous About His Scenes With Chan

Previously, Jacob Bertrand, who plays in Cobra Kai, shared that he felt a bit anxious about facing off against Chan in the upcoming Karate Kid film. According to him, Macchio mentioned that Jackie Chan moves as if he’s still only 20 years old, which is quite intimidating during a fight scene. However, Bertrand added that it was an absolute pleasure working with the martial arts legend, and he seemed excited about the movie, stating that the fights turned out great and everything went smoothly.

In the movie titled “Karate Kid: Legends“, Jonathan Entwistle is at the helm, while Rob Lieber handles the script writing. Besides Macchio and Chan, other notable actors also appear. This impressive ensemble includes Ming-Na Wen, Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, and Aramis Knight. As per the official summary, the story unfolds when “a gifted kung fu practitioner named Li Fong moves with his mother to New York City to attend an elite school.

He finds comfort in a fresh friendship with a classmate and her father, but this tranquility is disrupted when he draws unwanted interest from a local karate master. To protect himself, Li decides to join the ultimate karate tournament. Under the tutelage of his kung fu mentor, Mr. Han, and another unnamed individual, Li blends their distinct martial arts techniques in preparation for an awe-inspiring showdown.

Karate Kid: Legends hits theaters on May 30.

Read More

2025-05-26 17:08