The Karate Kid franchise just released a new chapter with Karate Kid: Legends. This latest movie brings back familiar faces like Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso) and Jackie Chan (Mr. Han). It even features a fun Cobra Kai cameo. But there’s one important character fans are still waiting to see — and sadly, she’s missing again.
Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce, the lead from 1994’s The Next Karate Kid, is nowhere to be found. Not even a mention.
Julie Pierce Deserved A Comeback
The film introduces Li Fong (played by Ben Wang), a teen who moves from Beijing to New York and ends up in a karate tournament. He trains under Mr. Han, while Daniel LaRusso also plays a mentor role. The movie is exciting, nostalgic, and sets up a new era for the franchise. But for long-time fans, something feels incomplete.
Julie Pierce was Mr. Miyagi’s student too — just like Daniel. In fact, she was the star of the fourth movie. Yet, Karate Kid: Legends completely skips over her character. No cameo. No reference. Nothing.
Why Julie’s Absence Is Frustrating
Some might argue that The Next Karate Kid wasn’t very successful. It has one of the lowest ratings in the series. But Julie is still part of the Miyagi legacy. If Mr. Han can call Daniel Miyagi’s “greatest student” in Legends, shouldn’t Julie at least get a nod?
Even if Hilary Swank didn’t want to return, the filmmakers could’ve included a quick update on her character. A short line. A mention in passing. Anything. But they chose to leave her out — again.
Swank Skipped Cobra Kai, Too
Fans also hoped Julie would appear in Cobra Kai, the hit Netflix series that brought back so many old characters. Show creators wanted her in the final season. They contacted her team. But it didn’t work out.
Co-creator Jon Hurwitz said they never got to speak to Swank directly. She just wasn’t interested at the time. The creators respected her decision — and fans understood. Still, there was hope she might return for Karate Kid: Legends.
But that didn’t happen either.
Is Julie Pierce Gone For Good?
It’s now been over 30 years since Julie Pierce last appeared on screen. Since then, the franchise has brought back nearly every major character — except her. And there’s no hint about what happened to her. Where is she? What’s she doing now? We don’t know.
That silence is what really stings. Even if Hilary Swank is done with the role, the character still matters. She was part of Mr. Miyagi’s journey. She learned from him. She grew because of him. Ignoring her feels like ignoring a big part of the story.
Final Thoughts
Karate Kid: Legends is an exciting new chapter. It brings together old and new. But the absence of Julie Pierce leaves a gap. She may not have been the most popular character, but she was important.
If the franchise truly wants to honor Mr. Miyagi’s legacy, it should also respect all his students — not just the ones who got the most screen time.
