Where was Karate Kid: Legends shot? Filming locations of the latest martial arts drama installment, explored

Karate Kid: Legends is bringing the martial arts magic back to the screen with a new child prodigy. This time, it might be a little more special for the franchise fans since it brings Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio together. Until now, the two stars have been part of different projects in the canon. So, this is the first time they will be sharing the screen. It is also the first project in the franchise since Cobra Kai wrapped up its sixth and final season.

Set in New York, the film follows a teenager from Beijing, China moving to the United States with his mother. While there, he must prove himself to the local bullies, much like the foundational Karate Kid film or the latter reboot with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith. However, unlike before, he is a kung fu prodigy, who hopes to learn karate and find a balance between both the martial arts.

The events mainly take place in New York, but for filming, the team of Karate Kid: Legends used locations in Montreal and Milton, Canada. Apart from them, Tokyo, Mumbai, New Delhi, and a few more locations were reportedly used for the film's production.

Karate Kid: Legends filming locations, explored

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Karate Kid: Legends was shot mainly between April and June 2024. The principal photography began on April 1 and continued under the then-working title Victory Boulevard.

Filming in Montreal

Located in Canada's Québec province, Montreal served as the key location for this martial arts drama film. They provided rich urban backdrops that portrayed the busy streets of New York. It also offered the textural beauty that helped the film's visual and storytelling style.

Filming in Milton

Milton is a scenic town in Ontario, Canada. It served as a location for the relatively quieter parts of the protagonist's life and his suburban neighborhood as he learns to settle into his new environment in New York. It offered the much-needed tonal balance to represent the calm before the chaos.

Tokyo, Mumbai, and the rest of the filming locations

Apart from the Canadian filming locations, Tokyo, New Delhi, and Mumbai also played a part in its production. The bustling and vibrant Indian cities offered a sense of grittiness while the Tokyo Tower served as a monument of cultural significance connected to karate. Some sources suggest that Atlanta (US) and Beijing (China) also served as filming locations for a few shots.

More details about Karate Kid: Legends

Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F...ing World) directed Karate Kid: Legends based on a script written by Rob Lieber (Peter Rabbit). Here's the official synopsis:

"Karate Kid: Legends unites the iconic martial arts masters of one of the most beloved film franchises of all time to tell a completely new story full of action and heart. When kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) relocates to New York City with his mother to attend a prestigious new school, he finds solace in a new friendship with a classmate and her father. But his newfound peace is short-lived after he attracts unwanted attention from a formidable local karate champion. Driven by a desire to defend himself, Li embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition. Guided by the wisdom of his kung fu teacher, Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), and the legendary Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Li merges their unique styles to prepare for an epic martial arts showdown."

The film was initially supposed to be released in June 2024, but the release window was pushed to December because of the artists' strikes in Hollywood. Eventually, it was pushed further to May 2025 to avoid it clashing with the release of the final season of Cobra Kai.