An interesting piece of lore from Jackie Chan’s 2010 remake ofThe Karate Kidopens up a great possibility for when he reprises the role of Mr. Han in 2025’s sequel. AlthoughChan’s movie was once a recreation of the original movie from 1984, recent franchise developments have resulted in the 2010 effort being integrated into the main continuity. As a result, Mr. Han will be able to interact directly with Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso in 2025’sKarate Kidmovie. In short,all fiveKarate Kidmoviesnow share a universe, and the upcoming sequel will be movie six.
It’s currently unclear to what extent theCobra Kaiseason 6 castwill be involved in the upcoming sequel, with the spinoff show also drawing to an end in 2024. Story details about the new addition to the franchise are currently scarce, butJackie Chan coming back as Mr. Han is one of the biggest and unexpected revelations. His role in the then-remake is very reminiscent of an iconicKarate Kidfigure. However, by the time of theKarate Kidreboot’s release date, Chan’s character archetype will have transitioned significantly.
Mr. Han’s Age In The Karate Kid Remake Makes Him More Like Daniel LaRusso Than Mr. Miyagi
Both movies being set so far apart means Mr. Han & Daniel share a surprisingly similar age
In 2010’sThe Karate Kid,Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han is Mr. Miyagi’s remake counterpart. His overall backstory and personality aren’t identical, but it’s clear that Mr. Han is playing the same role in the movie as Pat Morita did in his. As such, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that, when Mr. Han returns, he will continue playing the part of the older, wiser man when he comes into contact with Daniel LaRusso. Interestingly,Chan is not that much older than Macchioin real life.
While Morita was also of a similar age when he debuted as Mr. Miyagi in 1984, his first movie was released and set around 25 years before Chan’s.
Both actors are separated by less than 10 years. Therefore, Mr. Han is now more like Daniel than Mr. Miyagi.Chan was only in his mid-fifties when hisKarate Kidmovie was released. While Morita was also of a similar age when he debuted as Mr. Miyagi in 1984, his first movie was released and set around 25 years before Chan’s. So, if Pat Morita hadn’t passed away in 2005, he’d have been over 20 years older than Chan will be in the 2025 movie.
The newKarate Kidmovie will arrive in theaters on August 16, 2025.
Because of this, it’s conceivable thatMr. Han could have once been a student of Mr. Miyagi. Although Mr. Han has only been shown to have one student - Jaden Smith’s Dre Parker - this still teases a similar arc to Daniel when it comes to becoming a teacher after learning from Pat Morita’s late character. The fact that Mr. Han has transitioned into a teaching role, and is a similar age to Daniel, makes the two characters incredibly similar.
Putting Mr. Han In A Daniel-Esque Role Is Better Than Him Trying To Replace Mr. Miyagi
Chan’s character is too young to replace Mr. Miyagi in the main Karate Kid universe
Mr. Miyagi passed awayin the years between 1994’sThe Next Karate Kidand the first episode ofCobra Kaiin 2018. The franchise respectfully chose not to replace Morita’s character and instead allowed his legacy to permeate the spinoff show. If anything,Daniel became the spiritual successor to his former senseiwhen he started training students in the art of Miyagi-do Karate. Mr. Han could arguably be a great replacement for Mr. Miyagi in the upcoming movie, but it makes far more sense to have him in a role much more similar to that of Ralph Macchio’s character.
1984
90%
1986
47%
1989
15%
1994
7%
2010
66%
2018-2025
92%
Having Mr. Han serve as a stand-in for Mr. Miyagi so long after the remake wouldn’t make much sense with Daniel LaRusso also part of the story. Both men are of a similar level of experience and prowess, so trying to place one above the other in terms of seniority would be a little awkward - even ifMacchio has long been the face of the franchise. Having them on an equal footing opens the door to a much more rewarding story than having Mr. Han play the role of Daniel’s new sensei.
Mr. Han’s Age Makes It More Of A Shame He Hasn’t Shown Up In Cobra Kai
Chan would have been a great addition to the Karate Kid spinoff show (& technically still could be)
It’s easy to see Mr. Han as an older man, given his parallels to Mr. Miyagi and how long it’s been since his franchise debut. However, when considering how close in age Chan is to Macchio,Mr. Han’s absence fromCobra Kainow feels like a huge waste of potential. Some great stories could have emerged between the two men, especially if it turns out that Mr. Han also has a connection to Pat Mortita’s late character.
Jackie Chan’s 2010 Karate Kid Remake Being In The Same Universe Isn’t That Weird
The Karate Kid franchise is set to retroactively make Jackie Chan’s 2010 remake part of the main canon, and it can make perfect sense.
Of course,it’s still possible that Mr. Han could return inCobra Kaiseason 6. With part two of the spinoff’s final season coming in November 2024 and the third and final part landing in 2025, there’s still plenty of time for Chan’s comeback. Specifically, he could tie into the Mr. Miyagi mystery. On the other hand, the Sekai Taikai is bound to be the main story of the last two batches of episodes. So, there just may not be enough time to bring back Jackie Chan’s character before the 2025Karate Kidmovie.
The Karate Kid
Cast
The Karate Kid is a 2010 remake of the original martial arts drama film released in 1984. Directed by Harald Zwart, this new telling follows young Dre Parker who after a big move with his mother from Detroit, Michigan to Beijing, China, finds difficulty fitting in and manages to get caught in a bullies' crosshairs. Dre is saved by the mysterious maintenance worker named Mr. Han, who teaches him Kung Fu in order to defend himself.
