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’s Karate Kid: Legends. Even as the studio enjoys the success of Danny Boyle‘s 28 Years Later, which is only a week old and already the highest-grossing installment of the series, Karate Kid: Legends is hobbling towards the finish line with a smaller haul. The movie didn’t even come close to challenging the 2010 reboot starring Jaden Smith and Jackie 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’s cumulative global haul now stands at $102 million. The good news is that it costs 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 franchise began in the 1980s, survived the 1990s, and found a new lease on life in 2010, when the reboot film grossed around $350 million worldwide.
More recently, the comedy series Cobra Kai re-ignited interest in the franchise, bringing back original star Ralph Macchio. Directed by Jonathan Entwistle, Karate Kid: Legends features Macchio in a supporting role, alongside superstar Chan, who returns as Mr. Han from the 2010 movie. Ben Wang plays the lead role in the movie, which earned mixed reviews from 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’s Aidan Kelley wrote, “The second half of Karate Kid: Legends very 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 thriller The Amateur, the Jason Statham-led action vehicle A Working Man, and Ben Affleck‘s The Accountant 2 on the 2025 leaderboard. You can watch the film in theaters, or wait for it to hit PVOD platforms on July 8. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.