What became of Jaden Smith’s character Dre Parker after 2010’s The Karate Kid? The movie, which was directed by Harald Zwart, was a reboot of the 1984 movie of the same name, which followed the early years of karate student Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and spawned a franchise that as of 2010 already included four movies and a 1989 animated series. The reboot starred Jaden Smith as Dre Parker, who moved to Beijing with his widowed mother (Taraji P. Henson) and learned kung fu from maintenance worker Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) in order to defend himself from his school bully.
Although none of the characters from the 2010 reboot appeared in the legacy sequel series Cobra Kai, which premiered on Youtube Red in 2018 and is set to air its finale on Netflix in 2025, the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends will feature Jackie Chan reprising his role as Mr. Han opposite Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso. The movie, which was directed by Jonathan Entwistle from a screenplay by Rob Lieber, is set to premiere on May 30, 2025, and takes place on the East Coast, focusing on a new karate student named Li Fong (American Born Chinese star Ben Wang).
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Cobra Kai: How The Karate Kid Reboot Connects To The Franchise
With Cobra Kai bringing back characters from the original Karate Kid movies, can a crossover with the 2010 Jaden Smith-led reboot ever happen?
Mr. Han Doesn’t Acknowledge Dre In The First Karate Kid: Legends Trailer
He Has An Attachment To A New Karate Student
So far, the Karate Kid: Legends trailer has offered no clues as to Dre’s fate. The trailer seems to imply that Mr. Han has already migrated to the United States of America as of the beginning of the story, and may already have Li Fong under his tutelage at that point. Footage from the movie reveals that he eventually approaches Daniel LaRusso to assist him in the young man’s training, explaining that Li Fong is to Mr. Han what Daniel LaRusso was to his original teacher Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita).
Morita portrayed Mr. Miyagi in the first four movies, from 1984’s The Karate Kid through the 1994 installment The Next Karate Kid, which starred Hilary Swank as a new student of his.
This line in the trailer openly acknowledges the fact that Jackie Chan’s character in the 2010 reboot was meant to be an analogue to Mr. Miyagi. However, he makes no mention of Dre, the prior student who held the same position in his life that Li Fong does now. This does not mean that Dre will not be mentioned in the movie, but rather that marketers are not using that particular connection to the reboot as a selling point. However, at the time of writing, there is no indication that Dre and Mr. Han are still in each other’s lives.
We Still Don’t Know What Happened To Dre After The Karate Kid (2010)
He Has Not Been Seen Or Mentioned Since
So far, Dre Parker’s fate has not yet been mentioned in the broader franchise. Though Legends is the first Karate Kid movie since the 2010 reboot, six seasons of Cobra Kai have explored many of the nooks and crannies of the franchise since then without mentioning Dre. The same is true of Hilary Swank’s character Julie Pierce, who occupied a similar position as a Daniel LaRusso replacement and has so far been contained entirely to the 1994 movie, which was a critical and commercial flop. Below, see a comparison of how the first four movies performed:
|
Title |
RT Score |
Budget |
Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Karate Kid (1984) |
89% |
$8 million |
$130.8 million |
|
The Karate Kid Part II (1986) |
45% |
$12.5 million |
$130 million |
|
The Karate Kid Part III (1989) |
15% |
$12.5 million |
$38.9 million |
|
The Next Karate Kid (1994) |
7% |
$12 million |
$15.8 million |
While 2010’s Karate Kid was not a flop, grossing $359.1 million against its $40 million budget, none of the characters have been revisited until Legends. Presumably, given the fact that the same amount of time seems to have passed in the franchise as it has in real life, Dre Parker remains the same age as Jaden Smith, who is currently 26 years old. While the movie ended with Dre still in Beijing, it is possible that he has since moved back to the U.S., as he is past college age and may have decided to return to his home country.
Will Jaden Smith’s Dre Return In Karate Kid: Legends?
The Legacy Sequel Blends Both Branches Of The Franchise
So far, Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Han are the only two returning characters who have been officially confirmed to return in the Karate Kid: Legends cast. The remainder of the ensemble is made up of newcomers to the franchise, including Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Aramis Knight, Wyatt Oleff, Danny McBride, and Jennifer-Lyn Christie. However, while Daniel is isolated from the majority of the West Coast-based Cobra Kai characters, it is possible that Dre could still appear in some capacity given the fact that his location remains unknown.
The actor may not be interested in returning to his early role….
The biggest potential road block to his return is likely the fact that Jaden Smith has not performed onscreen in a live-action role outside of a music video since 2020’s Life in a Year. Even if the opportunity arose, the actor may not beinterested in returning to his early role. However, it is entirely possible that the character will be referenced in some way, including having Mr. Han share his previous experience with Daniel or potentially featuring Dre in flashback footage from the 2010 The Karate Kid.
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.
- Release Date
-
June 11, 2010
- Runtime
-
140 Minutes
- Director
-
Harald Zwart
- Writers
-
Christopher Murphey
