The Karate Kid (1984) made $90.8 million. The Karate Kid Part II (1986) grossed $115.1 million. The Karate Kid Part III (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.
Daniel Larusso, the protagonist of the first 3 films, does not appear in the film. It is presumed that he went away to college. After Mr Miyagi walks in on Julie while she's changing clothes, he says he "used to live with boy...Daniel-san." Macchio was 33 years old, too old to reprise his role as a "Karate Kid." He publicly stated that he was "not interested in becoming the Sylvester Stallone of Karate Kid movies." Though 24 years later he did agree to star in the Cobra Kai (2018) TV series based on his Karate Kid films for YouTube's new original content channel.
Pat Morita's final appearance as Mr. Miyagi, due to Morita's passing on November 24 2005.
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 The 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 The Karate Kid Part II (1986).