Wissenswertes

The producers of Cobra Kai (2018) have discussed the possibility of Hilary Swank returning as Julie, though as of the third season it is the only film not referenced. Jon Hurwitz said "We always say that our show takes place in the Miyagi-verse...in our minds, any story in which Mr. Miyagi was a character, with Pat Morita playing Mr. Miyagi I should say, is canon to our world. The Next Karate Kid is a part of our universe. We believe that the events of that movie happened...In terms of that movie, it has its pluses and minuses. One of the things that's really special about it is it's very early work for Hilary Swank and she's gone on to be one of the great actors in Hollywood. Her performance is great in that movie and her chemistry with Pat Morita is fantastic." Cobra Kai ended its run on Netflix in Feb. 2025 with its 6th season, but Swank never appeared, much to the disappointment of many fans.

Karate Kid (1984) made $90.8 million. Karate Kid II: Entscheidung in Okinawa (1986) grossed $115.1 million. Karate Kid III: Die letzte Entscheidung (1989) earned $38.9 million. The studio was keen to continue the franchise, though this film's $8.9 million take effectively killed the prospects of any further films. The 2010 remake took in $171.8 million at the box office.

Pat Morita's final appearance as Mr. Miyagi, due to his passing on November 24 2005. Before his passing, he conceived a potential fifth Karate Kid film which would have had a dying Mr. Miyagi training Johnny Lawrence, who now works as a doctor, into his peaceful karate arts so Johnny can find balance in his life before Miyagi passes away and gets sent to Okinawa so he can be buried there. The concept never got off the ground, but it seems that a part of it has been revived for an episode of Cobra Kai (2018).

The fight choreographers gave Hilary Swank a "pink belt" for her mastery of the most flashy techniques, but none of the basics.

The song, "Fascination," that Miyagi turns on when he is teaching Julie to dance is the same song that Johnny and Ali dance to at the country club in the original Karate Kid (1984) and is playing on the radio in the car that picks up Daniel and Mr. Miyagi when they first arrive in Okinawa in Karate Kid II: Entscheidung in Okinawa (1986).