All Karate Kid Movies in Order

Daniel LaRusso moves to California and quickly becomes the target of bullies from the Cobra Kai dojo. Luckily he meets Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), a modest handyman with a mastery of karate. The rest is history: 'Wax on, wax off', the crane kick and one of the most iconic sports finales ever. Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita form a legendary duo, and this film remains unsurpassed.

This time Daniel and Miyagi travel to Okinawa, where Miyagi confronts an old feud and Daniel meets a new rival in Chozen. The pace is slower than in part 1, but the emotional weight is greater, with more focus on Miyagi's past and sense of honor. A successful, more mature sequel.

Cobra Kai returns, literally. Kreese calls in his old Vietnam War buddy Terry Silver, who tries to break Daniel with mind games and dirty tricks. Thomas Ian Griffith is gloriously over the top as Silver, and Daniel flirts with the dark side. Less tightly directed, but fans remember it mostly for its scheming villain with a venomous grin.

New student, same sensei. This time Mr. Miyagi trains Julie (Hilary Swank), a rebellious teenager with anger issues. The student-teacher magic isn't quite there, and the story feels like a repeat without the heart of the original trilogy. Still interesting in hindsight: two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank got her start here.

A new generation. This remake is set in China, with Jaden Smith as young Dre and Jackie Chan as his mentor Mr. Han. Technically it's more of a Kung Fu Kid, but the spirit of the original stays intact. Chan gives one of his most restrained performances ever, and the 'jacket on, jacket off' training is surprisingly effective. The finale? Emotional and spectacular.

The newest addition to the franchise brings multiple generations together. New lead Ben Wang plays Li Fong, a young fighter in New York trained by both Jackie Chan's Mr. Han and Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso, in one film. Expect spectacular fight scenes and fresh energy. The Karate Kid films began as a simple underdog story and grew into a universal symbol of resilience.