It’s probably not a great sign when a franchise movie grosses less than a third at the box office than its predecessor, but that’s unfortunately the fate that has befallen Sony’sKarate Kid: Legends. Even as the studio enjoys the success ofDanny Boyle’s28 Years Later, which is only a week old and already the highest-grossing installment of the series,Karate Kid: Legendsis hobbling towards the finish line with a smaller haul. The movie didn’t even come close to challenging the 2010 reboot starringJaden SmithandJackie Chan. But ahead of its digital debut, the film passed its first (and what will likely be its final) global box office milestone.
With around $51 million each domestically and from overseas markets, the movie’scumulative global haul now stands at $102 million. The good news is that itcosts only around $45 million to produce, which means that it’s probably already profitable, and will likely continue generating revenue through other streams in the future. But its performance certainly doesn’t bode well for the long-running sports drama series' future in theaters.The Karate Kid franchisebegan in the 1980s, survived the 1990s, andfound a new lease on life in 2010, when thereboot film grossed around $350 million worldwide.
More recently, the comedy seriesCobra Kaire-ignited interest in the franchise, bringing back original starRalph Macchio. Directed byJonathan Entwistle,Karate Kid: Legendsfeatures Macchio in a supporting role, alongside superstar Chan, who returns as Mr. Han from the 2010 movie.Ben Wangplays the lead role in the movie, whichearned mixed reviewsfrom critics, but seemed to have the audience’s support initially. It holds a borderline “rotten” 59% score on Rotten Tomatoes, although its audience score on the aggregator website is far higher, at a “verified hot” 91%.
‘Karate Kid: Legends’ Has Punched Passed Jason Statham and Ben Affleck’s New Movies
In his review, Collider’sAidan Kelleywrote, “The second half ofKarate Kid: Legendsvery much takes more than a few stumbles when it comes to pacing, and if you’re a hardcore fan who’s eager to see Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio’s characters interact, you may be leaving the theater underwhelmed.” The film’s $102 million global box office haul puts it ahead of the espionage thrillerThe Amateur, theJason Statham-led action vehicleA Working Man, andBen Affleck’sThe Accountant 2on the 2025 leaderboard. You can watch the film in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Karate Kid: Legends
