Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han and Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso’s confirmed return in the new Karate Kid movie suggests that another familiar character could be a part of the film’s roster. Since most details surrounding Sony’s new Karate Kid movie were intentionally kept under the covers, audiences could not help but speculate that it was going to be a reboot and not a direct extension of the existing Miyagi-verse lore. However, to everyone’s surprise, the movie is not only continuing the story set by Cobra Kai and the original Karate Kid movies but also retconning the 2010 Karate Kid remake.
Jackie Chan and Daniel LaRusso were previously assumed to be the leading characters of two distinct Karate Kid universes. However, by confirming that both of them will be playing their respective franchise roles in the new Karate Kid movie, the Sony film has complicated the Miyagi-verse timeline. On the bright side, it has made room for the return of another memorable character.
Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid Return Means Jaden Smith’s Dre Could Appear Too
Although audiences were expecting the new Karate Kid movie to draw some connections to the previous Karate Kid movies, Jackie Chan’s involvement is something that only a few could have anticipated. Many Cobra Kai season 6 theories had also previously suggested the Sekai Taikai tournament could feature a Jackie Chan cameo. However, that seemed unlikely since the Cobra Kai universe had already established Jackie Chan as an actor. While it is still unclear how the Jackie Chan movie is set in the same universe as Cobra Kai, the film’s creators are seemingly retconning Cobra Kai‘s lore by making Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han share the screen.
This retcon not only makes room for several fascinating story elements where Daniel and Han would potentially team up but also makes room for introducing other primary characters from the franchise. For instance, along with Mr. Han, Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker could also return in the new Karate Kid movie. He was Mr. Han’s first and only student and likely helped him garner a lot of fame and success in China after winning the 2010 Kung Fu tournament. Owing to this, even if Jaden Smith is not interested in reprising his role, it would make sense for the movie to at least mention what happened to his character after the 2010 movie’s events.
Will Jaden Smith Be In Cobra Kai Season 6?
In recent years, Jaden Smith has taken a few voice-acting roles in movies and shows like Entergalactic and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. However, he has not acted in a live-action movie or TV show since 2020. Although this does not necessarily mean he has quit acting, his inactivity as an actor makes his return as Dre Parker less likely. It would also be logical for Cobra Kai season 6 to feature Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han and Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker in the Sekai Taikai arc to bridge the gap between the parent franchise and the 2010 remake. However, Jackie Chan’s return has only been confirmed for the new Karate Kid movie so far.
Given the direction in which the Karate Kid franchise is heading with its rewrites and character returns, anything seems possible. Owing to this, Cobra Kai season 6 might surprise viewers by featuring Jaden Smith’s Dre alongside Jackie Chan’s Han. For now, however, only time will tell how the new Karate Kid movie will join these seemingly incoherent plot threads between the parent franchise and the 2010 remake.
