Can you believe ‘The Karate Kid’ came out 40 years ago? See how stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka grew up in our gallery here!

The Karate Kid franchise began in 1984, starring , William Zabka, Pat Morita, and more. Over the years, it grew into a beloved franchise, even getting a 2010 reboot starring and . The franchise now includes six films, with the latest installment, Karate Kid: Legends, set to release in 2025.

Beyond the films, the franchise expanded into the hit series Cobra Kai, which introduced a new generation of characters while bringing back familiar faces. Cobra Kai initially premiered on YouTube, but after YouTube stopped producing original programming, Netflix picked up the series starting with season 3. Since then, it has become a massive success. Season 4 premiered on December 31, and season 5 followed shortly after. Over its four seasons, Cobra Kai has featured many familiar faces from The Karate Kid.

Take a look at photos of the cast, then and now!

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