Karate Kid: Legendscontinues to ascend the franchise’s box office rankings and is now nearing a major global milestone. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, the latest installment in the long-runningKarate Kidfranchise follows kung fu prodigy Li Fong (Ben Wang) as he becomes a student of Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) to train for a major karate competition.Karate Kid: Legendsreviewshave been mixed from critics, but the film has been more popular with audiences, opening with $20.3 million at the box office.
Now, dew data fromThe Numbersreveals thatLegendshas now grossed a worldwide total of $91.4 million, meaning it has beaten the original 1984 movie’s total of $90.8 million(not adjusted for inflation). The new film’s worldwide total comprises $45.7 million domestically and the same figure internationally, bringing it one step closer to the major $100 million milestone.
What This Means For Karate Kid: Legends
How The Film Compares To Other Entries In The Franchise
Karate Kid: Legendswas made on an estimated budget of $50 million. Using the standard Hollywood rule of thumb, the film could be looking at a break-even point of $125 million, a figure it may eventually come close to if it continues to be available in theaters over the next few weeks. OnRotten Tomatoes,Legendsenjoys a strong 92% audience score, and the week-to-week drops have been respectable enough to indicate positive word-of-mouth. According to The Numbers,the newKarate Kidmovie experienced only a 39% drop between its second and third weekends.
Even ifLegendsdoes break even, it won’t become the highest-grossing movie in theKarate Kidfranchise. As seen in the chart below, 2010’sThe Karate Kidremains the highest-grossing entry in the franchise at a whopping $351.7 million worldwide, a figure that is out of reach for the latest installment. Even ifLegendsfails to break even in theaters, it could end up finding success on home-viewing platforms. With the positive reception to theCobra Kaishow, there will likely continue to be new installments in theKarate Kidsaga, but they may feature lower budgets.
Our Take On Karate Kid: Legends' Box Office Milestone
The Franchise’s Future May Be Smaller In Scale
TheKarate Kid: Legendscastis at least part of the reason for the film’s estimated $50 million budget. Chan, of course, remains one of the most legendary martial arts actors in history, and Macchio, too, has been a mainstay of the franchise. Thoughboth actors would have increased the film’s price tag, they are also both important to the story, and they help to connect the new installment to past entries.
It’s not clear what the future holds for theKarate Kidfranchise, butthe audience response to this latest installment certainly suggests there is room for more stories in the years ahead.Cobra Kai’s six seasons proved that this franchise can excel on the small screen with smaller stakes, and there may be room for further exploration here. It remains to be seen whereKarate Kid: Legends' box office will end up, but the film evidently hasn’t thrown in the towel just yet.
