In the January 2022 issue of
Empire, published November 2021,
Ralph Macchio revealed that he had previously been approached about a potential
The Karate Kid and
Rocky crossover film in 2012, to be directed by
John G. Avildsen and following
Daniel LaRusso's daughter and
Milo Ventimiglia's Rocky Balboa, Jr. "get together and open a
dojo"; describing the concept as "awful", Macchio declined reprising his role and the project subsequently entered
development hell, before being abandoned in favour of
Creed and
Cobra Kai.