The Karate Kid (1984) May 2026

as Johnny Lawrence : Daniel’s primary rival and the top student at Cobra Kai.

as Mr. Miyagi : The wise, eccentric mentor whose performance earned him an Academy Award nomination. The Karate Kid (1984)

as Daniel LaRusso : The underdog protagonist who learns that karate is for defense, not revenge. as Johnny Lawrence : Daniel’s primary rival and

Released in 1984, is a classic martial arts drama directed by John G. Avildsen that follows Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who moves from New Jersey to California and finds himself bullied by students of the aggressive Cobra Kai dojo. He is mentored by his apartment's handyman, Mr. Miyagi, who teaches him karate through unorthodox methods—most famously the "wax on, wax off" technique—to prepare him for an All-Valley Karate Tournament. Key Cast & Characters as Daniel LaRusso : The underdog protagonist who

The film is celebrated for its themes of , perseverance , and the mentor-student relationship . It spawned multiple sequels, a 2010 remake, and the highly successful Cobra Kai series, which continues the story of Daniel and Johnny decades later. You can find more details on the official IMDb page or explore the script through Script Slug .