The 2025 Karate Kid movie is one of the franchise’s most highly anticipated releases, but a recent announcement about its Cobra Kai connection gives it- and the show -the chance to be even better. The Karate Kid franchise started all the way back in 1984, yet it has released new projects consistently over the years. Next year, the main franchise will return to the big screen for the first time in a decade with 2025’s Karate Kid reboot. Meanwhile, Cobra Kai season 6 will premiere its first part in July 2024. Their connection, or lack thereof, makes them even greater.

After the announcement of 2025’s Karate Kid, questions have been floating around about whether the movie will connect to Cobra Kai season 6. There are reasons why they should be connected, including Ralph Macchio’s role in both the movie and the show. However, there are also strong arguments for keeping them separate, including issues with Jackie Chan in Cobra Kai’s canon. Luckily, though, a set visit with Cobra Kai showrunner Josh Heald answers this question for good. Heald says, “But our series doesn’t set up the movie, the movie kind of exists in its own piece of its own universe…”

Cobra Kai Not Being Connected To Karate Kid’s 2025 Movie Is Actually A Good Thing

Cobra Kai & Karate Kid Can Do Their Own Thing

Josh Heald confirms that Cobra Kai season 6 won’t connect to the Karate Kid movie. This is likely the best-case scenario. Although it might have been interesting to see how the end of Cobra Kai set Daniel up for 2025’s Karate Kid, it’s a storyline that isn’t exactly necessary. If anything, it might have been more confusing. Though Daniel plays a key role in both Cobra Kai and the new Karate Kid, it is better to keep the projects in different corners of the same universe. Therefore, there are no retcons, no unanswered questions, and no restrictions.

Ultimately, creative freedom is the greatest benefit of keeping Cobra Kai and 2025’s Karate Kid separate. Intertwining their universes might have been cool, but it would have forced the movie and the show to transform their stories to fit each other. This is a major detriment to their creativity. In this way, it is better to let Cobra Kai end on its own terms, focusing on its own story rather than that of the new Karate Kid. Similarly, the movie can start off with its own story in mind, not what Cobra Kai forcefully set up.

Cobra Kai’s Miyagiverse Is Better Without The 2010 Reboot

Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han Is Too Confusing

Keeping Cobra Kai separate from the new Karate Kid also confirms that the 2010 Karate Kid does not exist in Cobra Kai’s world. This is also for the best. Notably, 2025’s Karate Kid movie stars Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, but his co-star is Jackie Chan, reprising his role as Mr. Han from the 2010 reboot of The Karate Kid. Immediately, this adds a layer of confusion since it long seemed like the original Karate Kid film franchise was completely separate from the 2010 movie. Now, 2025’s Karate Kid is merging the two. Fortunately, Cobra Kai is staying out of it.

It’s better for Jackie Chan to not be in Cobra Kai season 6 because it is too confusing. The foundation of Cobra Kai is the original Karate Kid films from 1984 to 1994. That is the storyline the show has always followed. To change this in the final season makes the narrative too complex and strange. Plus, Mr. Han really has nothing to do with Cobra Kai. Once again, their stories would only bog each other down. Therefore, Cobra Kai benefits the most from focusing on its own story, and leaving the complications of the Karate Kid movies to themselves.

Not Being Connected Is A Bigger Problem For Karate Kid 2025 Than Cobra Kai

Daniel LaRusso Needs A Backstory

Cobra Kai has no need to mention 2025’s Karate Kid, but the reverse isn’t quite true. Because Cobra Kai season 6 is coming out before 2025’s Karate Kid, nothing changes for the show. They can continue the trajectory they have always been on. However, on the other hand, 2025’s Karate Kid is directly affected by Cobra Kai because of Daniel LaRusso. In the world of the movies, Daniel has been absent since 1989’s The Karate Kid Part III. In this way, 2025’s Karate Kid will have to explain where Daniel has been all this time.

In the end, it is up to 2025’s Karate Kid to decide how much it will be connected to Cobra Kai, not the other way around. Karate Kid can use the storylines that Cobra Kai has built, including Daniel’s job, wife, and kids. At the same time, the movie could also completely ignore those facts, and either avoid talking about Daniel’s life, or create a new one entirely. In this way, 2025’s Karate Kid is walking a narrow tightrope. Its Cobra Kai connections are not make or break, but they will certainly affect the movie in one way or another.