With Martin Kove’s Sensei John Kreese meeting his end inCobra Kai’s final season, 2025’sKarate Kid: Legendshas an interesting decision to make. As one of the longest-running and bestvillains in the entireKarate Kidfranchise,Sensei Kreese has influenced the saga for decades. However, his death near theend ofCobra Kai’s final seasonmarks the first time it isn’t possible for him to return for an upcoming project. Although the nature ofKreese’s exit in his fight with Terry Silver(Thomas Ian Griffith) was very fitting for his character, the absence of Kove’s character impactsLegends.
Karate Kid: Legendsis set for a theatrical release on July 03, 2025. Although set in the same canon as all the otherKarate Kidmovies and every season ofCobra Kai, it will be a self-contained story that only softly references the franchise’s previous events. The biggest stars from the decades-long saga are Ralph Macchio, who is returning as Daniel LaRusso, and Jackie Chan for his surprising reprisal of Mr. Han from 2010’sKarate Kidthen-remake. However, the most focus will be on Ben Wang’s Li Fong, who’ll be stepping in as the movie’s new title character.
Kreese’s Death Means Karate Kid Has Lost Its Most Important Villain
Martin Kove now can’t appear in the upcoming legacy sequel
Kreese has long haunted theKarate Kidfranchise as one of its most vital antagonists. Although he has often been pulling the strings from the sidelines, he grew into a more active villain in later appearances - especially inCobra Kai. The Netflix sequel show even fleshed out his backstory and humanized him, making him relatable rather than just stone-cold evil. Now,he can’t come back and continue his villainy inKarate Kid: Legendsafter his explosive death scene inCobra Kaiseason 6.
Of course, it is always possible that Kreese’s death was just a deception, and thatLegendscould reveal he actually escaped the blaze on the boat. However, I think that’s unlikely for a number of reasons. For instance, Kreese’s surprise comeback would not only distract from the franchise’s next chapter, but also rely on knowledge ofCobra Kai’s events - which is whatLegendsis trying to avoid. So,it’s just cleaner and more logical to leave Kreese dead, even though it’s a massive shame to do so.
Karate Kid: Legends Needs A Villain That Can Live Up To Kreese
Sensei Kreese needs to be suitably replaced
TheKarate Kidfranchise thrives on the strength of its bad guys, and Kreese was one of the best. He has long set the standard for what a villain within the saga should be like. So, even though he can’t appear inLegends, the 2025 movie can at least use the character’s rich lore to help shape his replacement in the upcoming legacy sequel. If the movie lacks an antagonist as compelling as Kreese, the story will surely struggle to make as much of an impact.
It won’t be an easy task to achieve, but that doesn’t meanLegendsshould avoid making a spirited attempt.
Unfortunately, the fact Kreese’s character has been built up over decades rather than in a single movie poses a difficult challenge forLegends. That being said, it’s not impossible that, given the right actor and a great script,a new villain could step in and fill the sizable hole left behind by Kove’s character. It won’t be an easy task to achieve, but that doesn’t meanLegendsshould avoid making a spirited attempt.
Will Karate Kid: Legends Give The Franchise Its New John Kreese?
No true successor to Kreese has yet been revealed
At the moment,the only real bad guy inKarate Kid: Legendswould appear to be Li Fong’s rival, as the movie is following the general outline of the original 1984 movie and its 2010 successor. So,Legendshas a Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) replacement, but there doesn’t yet seem to be a new Kreese-esque character. In other words, it depends if the 2025 movie is going to introduce the sensei of Li Fong’s martial arts rival, or whetherLegendswill avoid introducing a new John Kreese.
Because Daniel’s sensei, Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), also had a good dynamic with Johnny’s teacher,it would make sense for a new Keese-esque villain to feature as part ofLegendsso the movie can more closely follow previous efforts - which seems to be the goal. That way, Daniel and Mr. Han can have another role beyond just training their new student. It wouldn’t be vital, especially if Daniel and Mr. Han are set to be secondary characters inKarate Kid: Legends, but it would replace Kreese after his death inCobra Kai.
Cobra Kai
Cast
Cobra Kai is a sequel series continuing the narrative of the Karate Kid saga, set 30 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. It focuses on Johnny Lawrence seeking redemption by reopening the Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with Daniel LaRusso, who strives to maintain balance in his life.
Karate Kid: Legends
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
