Like other entries in the franchise, the film does indeed conclude with a triumphant freeze frame — but test audiences wanted more.

Ultimately, while the movie sticks to that standalone promise pretty strongly, and Daniel actually has a relatively small role, there are two scenes that touch upon other aspects of the larger Karate Kid franchise - specifically tied to The Karate Kid Part II and, yes, Cobra Kai.

Making the leap from the lead in Disney+'s American Born Chinese to Karate Kid: Legends, Wang has to deal not only with balancing teen drama with fight choreography, but also standing up to iconic martial arts movie stars, all while making a karate kid his own. He does all of this with an astonishing ease.

The whole skyscraper building with the elevator and all of those things – we built it for real on a stage. And then we built big 40-foot screens all the way around this set.”