The Karate Kid poster

The Karate Kid

He taught him the secret to karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands.

7.2(4,920)19842h 7m14

New Jersey teen Daniel LaRusso moves to Los Angeles with his mother, and soon strikes up a relationship with Ali. He quickly finds himself the target of bullying by a group of thugs, led by Ali's ex-boyfriend Johnny, who study karate at the Cobra Kai dojo under ruthless sensei John Kreese. Fortunately, Daniel befriends Mr. Miyagi, an unassuming repairman who just happens to be a martial arts master himself. Miyagi takes Daniel under his wing, training him in a more compassionate form of karate for self-defense and, later, preparing him to compete against the brutal Cobra Kai.

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Status
Released
Budget
$8M
Box office
$91.1M
Language
English
Part of The Karate Kid Collection · 6 films
  • high school
  • friendship
  • martial arts
  • fight
  • painting
  • karate
  • bullying
  • sensei
  • bully
  • teen movie
  • los angeles, california
  • martial arts master

Top billed cast

Behind the camera

Produced in

United States of America

Gallery

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Videos

Release dates

  • United StatesUS

    • TheatricalPG22 Jun 1984
    • PhysicalPGVHS31 Dec 1985
    • Theatrical (limited)PGRe-release10 May 2025
  • United KingdomGB

    • TheatricalPG31 Aug 1984
  • AustraliaAU

    • TheatricalPG27 Sept 1984
  • ArgentinaAR

    • Theatrical4 Oct 1984
  • BrazilBR

    • Theatrical105 Jul 1984
    • TV1212 Aug 1990
  • FranceFR

    • TheatricalU26 Sept 1984
    • PhysicalDVD25 Oct 2001
    • Digital / OTT10 Dec 2016
    • Digital / OTTNetflix1 Apr 2021
    • TVCanal+ Grand Écran10 Mar 2026
  • GermanyDE

    • Theatrical129 Nov 1984
  • IrelandIE

    • TheatricalPG31 Aug 1984
  • ItalyIT

    • TheatricalT25 Oct 1984
  • JapanJP

    • TheatricalG16 Feb 1985
  • MexicoMX

    • TheatricalA1 Nov 1984
  • NetherlandsNL

    • Theatrical1211 Oct 1984

Frequently asked questions

The Karate Kid was released on 22 June 1984.

Audience reviews

4
  • J

    John Chard

    4/18/2015

    8/10

    The Karocky Kid. The Karate Kid is directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen. It stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita (Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor) and Elisabeth Shue. Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) moves with his mother (Randee Heller) from Newark, New Jersey to Reseda, a neighbourhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Pretty much from the off Daniel…

  • W

    Wuchak

    3/3/2019

    9/10

    ***Reverent and emotionally potent coming-of-age/sports flick*** A boy (Ralph Macchio) moves with his mother from New Jersey to Los Angeles, but isn’t welcomed by the Cobra Kai gang at school, led by bully Johnny (William Zabka). But Daniel (Macchio) finds a potential girlfriend (Elisabeth Shue) and a ‘golden connection’ with a Japanese American who’s willing to teach him the art of karate (Pat Morita). Everythi…

  • R

    r96sk

    2/23/2021

    7/10

    The start of <em>'The Karate Kid'</em>. Good viewing, this. I'd be lying if I didn't say I expected more from it, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it - because I did. Coming into this I had only seen the 2010 remake, therefore I did know what was coming in certain points. Still, the plot is interesting and holds a positive message. I would say the run time is longer than I would've chosen, I feel they could…

  • F

    Filipe Manuel Neto

    6/18/2022

    9/10

    **A landmark of the 80's** I'm not exactly a fan of fighting or martial arts movies. It's usually a type of movie I avoid because I find it boring and tiring. However, I was surrendered to this film, which is surely one of the most famous of the 80s, a film that even today, thirty years later, feels good to review. Perhaps because of this, it is a film that still retains its place on the grid of cinema TV channels…

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