With Karate Kid: Legends now in theaters, the latest installment has already broken a Rotten Tomatoes record. Coming in the wake of the TV spin-off Cobra Kai’s finale, the movie serves to bridge the gap between the small screen and the silver screen for the franchise. Jackie Chan returns as Mr. Han, alongside Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, and Ben Wang as Li Fong. Legends marks the first Karate Kid movie in 15 years, and it has a budget of $45 million. While Karate Kid: Legends received an average Tomatometer score of 57% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have been far more favorable. Based on over 500 audience ratings, the movie has already earned an 88% Popcornmeter score, which is the highest total in the movie franchise’s history. In comparison to the Tomatometer, audiences are enjoying the movie more than critics. It has also earned an A- CinemaScore, which is another impressive accomplishment that indicates the audience’s satisfaction.
What The Popcornmeter Score Means For Karate Kid: Legends

The Middling Tomatometer Score May Not Matter

Critics have not been thrilled with the latest Karate Kid movie, but obtaining the favor of audiences is arguably far more important. While critics argued that the new installment is forgettable, predictable, and unoriginal, moviegoers appreciated the return to the franchise’s roots. The divide is sharp, especially since many casual reviewers found the movie to be entirely original, a concept that professional critics have sharply rebuked. Regardless of the divisive response, it has already become the most generally beloved Karate Kid movie for regular viewers:

Title

Tomatometer Score

Popcornmeter Score

Karate Kid: Legends (2025)

57%

88%

The Karate Kid (1984)

81%

83%

The Karate Kid (2010)

67%

67%

The Karate Kid: Part II (1986)

49%

52%

The Karate Kid: Part III (1989)

18%

35%

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

20%

24%

The score is subject to change, as more viewers will be exposed to Karate Kid: Legends when it comes to streaming, but this is still an excellent start for a movie that initially appeared to have bleak prospects. While the new installment is not award-winning material, regular viewers can promote positive word-of-mouth outreach. That is essential when trying to drive more viewers to theaters, especially in an increasingly turbulent box office environment.

Related

Karate Kid: Legends Soundtrack Guide – Every Song & When They Play

Karate Kid: Legends includes nearly two dozen songs on its soundtrack, including artists like Nas, Alex Warren, Benson Boone, and 2Pac.

Projections are showing that the new movie will debut at no. 3 at the domestic box office, reeling behind Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which are entering their second weekend. With an estimated opening weekend of around $21 million to $23 million for the new Karate Kid movie, it may sound alarming. However, the movie has a budget of $45 million, which makes its box office prospects look doable and promising. Plus, if there is word-of-mouth for Legends, the final weekend numbers may improve.
Our Take On Karate Kid: Legends’ Success

This Movie Deserves The Win

After Cobra Kai ended, the return to the Karate Kid world is timely. While critics may be disappointed, that should come as no surprise, given that they have always been critical about this franchise. The highest Tomatometer score in its history came in 1984, and it has been floundering with generally Rotten movies ever since. Cobra Kai received positive reviews, but the theatrical releases have rarely impressed reviewers. ScreenRant’s Mae Abdulbaki was an exception, and called the movie “genuinely charismatic,” but it should not be surprising that Karate Kid: Legends impressed audiences. Hopefully, this positive reception from audiences will improve the prospects for Legends. On the other hand, the box office will ultimately become the biggest factor in determining the franchise’s fate. If moviegoers can stand behind the new Karate Kid movie, it’s possible talks could happen to continue with more sequels and keep the martial arts world alive. Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Karate Kid: Legends

7/10

Release Date

May 30, 2025

Runtime

94 minutes

Director

Jonathan Entwistle

Writers

Rob Lieber