How to watch Karate Kid: Legends – is it streaming?
The franchise is returning to the big screen after the success of spin-off TV series Cobra Kai.
It's been more than 40 years since the original Karate Kid film debuted in 1984 – and it's safe to say that TV spin-off Cobra Kai has breathed new life into the franchise in recent times.
The series – which originally aired on YouTube Red before being snapped up by Netflix from its third season onwards – proved a major hit, bringing back beloved characters from the films alongside a new generation of stars.
That success has now led to Karate Kid: Legends, the first new film since the reboot starring Jaden Smith in 2010, which sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprise their iconic roles and young star Ben Wang joining as kung fu prodigy Li Fong.
According to a synopsis, the film will follow Li Fong as he learns from Mr Han and Daniel LaRusso to merge kung fu with karate for the ultimate martial arts showdown.
But how exactly can fans watch the film? And will it follow Cobra Kai to Netflix? Read on for everything you need to know.
How to watch Karate Kid: Legends – is it streaming?
In the immediate future, the only way to watch Karate Kid: Legends will be in cinemas – with the film set for an exclusive theatrical release on Friday 30th May 2025.
If you're keen to watch it soon, you'll therefore have to take a trip to the pictures, but luckily there should be no shortage of options.
It is getting a very wide release and is showing in most major cinemas throughout the country – so just check the times at your local cinema to find out when suits you.
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Will Karate Kid: Legends be available on Netflix?
Recently, Netflix has become associated with Karate Kid in a major way due to the fact that the streamer became the home of spin-off series Cobra Kai from its third season onwards – with all 65 episodes of the drama available on the platform.
Several of the previous films – although not all of them – are also streaming on Netflix, with the original film from 1984, the third film from 1989 and the reboot film from 2010 all currently available (although 1986's The Karate Kid Part II and 1994's The Next Karate Kid are not).
With all that in mind, you might be wondering if Karate Kid: Legends will also eventually be streaming on the platform in the UK – but unfortunately it's not yet clear if that will be the case.
It's very possible that it will be, given that Netflix and Sony have a deal that sees the latter's theatrical releases land on the streamer in the US, but it's not yet clear if that will be the case in the UK. We'll update you as and when we hear any updates.
Karate Kid: Legends digital release date speculation
It's not yet clear exactly when the film will be released on the usual Premium VOD platforms such as Prime Video and Sky Store, as Sony tends to vary the length of its exclusive theatrical windows depending on box office performance and various other factors.
Generally, it can be any time between 25 and 70 days – so the earliest we'd expect it to be available is late June, although it's probably more likely to be some time in July. As usual, we'll keep you updated with all the latest developments.
Karate Kid: Legends trailer
If you've not yet made up your mind whether to see the film, perhaps the trailer below will help:
Karate Kid: Legends is released in UK cinemas on Friday 30th May 2025.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
