Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio was the reason behind the Karate Kid: Legends delayed release

When Karate Kid: Legends was first announced in September 2022, Cobra Kai, the hit Netflix series that continued the Karate Kid legacy, had yet to air its final season. This led to confusion and questions among the fans as they tried to figure out how the timeline of the two projects would work out.

Now, Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio revealed in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter that he was a key reason why the release of Karate Kid: Legends was postponed.

Ralph Macchio from Cobra Kai reveals that he was responsible for the delayed release of Karate Kid: Legends

As one of the last remaining original cast members from the iconic 1983 film starring William Zabka and Pat Morita, Ralph Macchio has been of the Karate Kid franchise for long. So, when he found out that Karate Kid: Legends was being announced, he grew concerned that its release could disrupt the continuity of the canon, especially since Cobra Kai had yet to premiere the final season.

Originally, Karate Kid: Legends was scheduled to hit theatres in June 2024, with the events of the film set three years after the finale of Cobra Kai. However, the release of the film was delayed due to the 2023 writers' strike in Hollywood. Even the release of the final season of the show fell through as a result of the strikes.

Macchio revealed that he was constantly making calls every day, adamantly arguing that the movie must be released after the final season of Cobra Kai has aired. After the initial decision to release the film in December 2024, Macchio made it his personal mission to argue against this release date.

"When [Karate Kid: Legends] was initially slated for a December 13, 2024 release, I was screaming constantly every day: ' This movie has to come out after [Cobra Kai] finishes,' "

He revealed that he tried to ensure that the film would not be released before the show had finished airing, believing it was extremely important that the release of the movie be delayed to preserve the integrity of the canon's timeline and also attract the audience to more of such projects.

"And once marketing got together and realized that [the December ‘24 release] would not benefit either, they did the right thing [by delaying until May 2025]. Karate Kid: Legends is now coming at a time where I like to believe that Cobra Kai fans are thirsty for another chapter."

When considered in terms of chronology, the film plotline is set three years after the events of the series. So had the film been released before the series aired the final season, it could've created confusion with respect to the timeline of the canon. So, turns out it was for a good reason that Ralph Macchio stuck to his guns and tried to ensure a delayed release for the film, which is now slated for a May 30, 2025, release.

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