The Karate Kid came out in 1984; sequels followed in 1986, ’89 and 1994. If you saw any of those films in theaters, you’re probably not playing Roblox. (The Karate Kid remake in 2010, with a completely new set of characters, doesn’t really apply here.) Sony and Gamefam have a game plan to get Gen Alpha to theaters for next month’s Karate Kid: Legends: teach them the ways of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) and Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) right where they play.
Sony Pictures and Gamefam, which calls itself “the leading metaverse media company for Gen Z & Alpha communities,” have joined forces on a Karate Kid Training Simulator on Roblox, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The game launches on May 2, weeks ahead of the Karate Kid: Legends May 30 theatrical release (in the U.S. and Canada).
The free Karate Kid Training Simulator “will immerse players in the world of Karate Kid: Legends, training alongside iconic characters like Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Mr. Han in recognizable scenes from the new movie, including the streets of New York, the rooftop dojo and Victory Pizza,” per the game’s description shared with THR. “Players will learn karate moves, honing their skills to compete against other players. Through engaging and impactful moves, players will master their craft, leveling up to battle against other masters and complete weekly Karate Kid: Legends quests.”
Users who successfully complete the presented challenges will earn some movie-themed rewards for their Roblox avatar, like a bonsai tree head and bandana, Victory Pizza Box Backpack and a Karate Kid: Legends trophy popcorn bucket hat. Kids care about that sort of thing.
Roblox users may be young, but they are dedicated, spending 144 minutes per day on the platform compared to TikTok (112 minutes per day) and YouTube (70 minutes per day), according to data from parental-control tracking software Qustodio. Last year, brand games (like this Karate Kid one) on Roblox accumulated more than 1.4 billion visits; the games were played for 15.8 billion minutes. Roblox has 85 million daily users, and its PR team likes to say that 61 percent of them are age 13 or older.
“Reaching Gen Z and Alpha requires more than just traditional marketing — it takes showing up in the worlds where they play and hang out with friends. Roblox has become essential for building cultural relevance, especially in the lead-up to major theatrical releases,” Ricardo Briceno, the chief business officer at Gamefam, told THR. “With Karate Kid, we have an opportunity to reintroduce an iconic franchise to a new generation of fans in a way that’s interactive, immersive and unforgettable.”
Karate Kid: Legends game
Courtesy of Gamefam
Gamefam and Sony Pictures previously built out four integrations into existing Roblox games to promote The Garfield Movie. At the time, the takeover was the biggest multi-game movie campaign on the platform, with 31 million visits over 18 days. The companies also collaborated on a Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire game. Gamefam has also worked with Paramount, Netflix, Disney and A24; in 2023, it launched Barbie DreamHouse Tycoon, the first official Barbie game on Roblox and now the sixth most-visited brand game of all time (409 million visits).
Karate Kid: Legends follows Li Fong (Ben Wang), who relocates to New York City with his mother to attend a prestigious new school. The kung fu prodigy “finds solace in a new friendship with a classmate and her father,” per Sony Pictures, but he finds the opposite in “a formidable local karate champion.”
“Driven by a desire to defend himself, Li embarks on a journey to enter the ultimate karate competition,” the film’s synopsis continued. “Guided by the wisdom of his kung fu teacher, Mr. Han, and the legendary Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso, Li merges their unique styles to prepare for an epic martial arts showdown.”
Karate Kid: Legends is directed by Jonathan Entwistle, written by Rob Lieber and produced by Karen Rosenfelt; Jenny Hinkey and Macchio executive produce. It also stars Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley and Ming-Na Wen.
