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Just when you thought it was amazing to see The Karate Kid getting a TV show on then-YouTube Red and then later your Netflix subscription, Karate Kid: Legends will be hitting theaters this summer. Making its way among 2025 movie releases, we’ll see Daniel LaRusso reunite with 2010’s The Karate Kid’s Mr. Han to help train a Chinese teen in California compete. While it’s awesome that Ralph Macchio will go back to his Karate Kid roots in the sixth movie following his time on Cobra Kai, I’m having mixed feelings about his considerations for the revival of another famous movie.
Ralph Macchio may be forever remembered for his iconic role as Karate Kid’s Daniel LaRusso, but there’s a funny fish-out-of-water movie of his we have to talk about. My Cousin Vinny is one of the funniest movies of the ‘90s you could ever watch. Macchio plays a college student who calls his lawyer cousin to help after he and his friend are accused of murder. With Joe Pesci in the title role and Marisa Tomei in her Oscar-winning role as Mona Lisa Vito, we see underdog Vinny navigating the court of law with his unorthodox style and street smarts.
The Outsiders actor revealed he’s considering reviving the courtroom comedy, I’m having mixed feelings about whether a continuation is necessary. Just like how Ralph Macchio was psyched to revive Daniel LaRusso for Cobra Kai and Karate Kid: Legends, he has his sights to revive this 1992 classic. Macchio told People at PaleyFest he’s been having talks about a My Cousin Vinny reboot:
Yeah, I’ve had conversations with other writers about that. Yeah, that one’s a beloved piece. It’s about finding the smart angle in.
In the past, “smart angles” were approached before for sequel ideas. Back in 2012, a proposed sequel had Vinny practicing law in England, but after Marisa Tomei dropped out and a new screenwriter was hired to write out Lisa, the sequel was eventually dropped. However, a studio-authorized book series revealed what happened after My Cousin Vinny, with Vinny and Lisa tag-teaming on cases with a similar dynamic to The Thin Man’s Nick and Nora. At least reading the two books in the series could give fans who wanted a sequel back in the ‘90s some closure of these New York-smart characters.
In 2017, Marisa Tomei revealed that she’d love to play Mona Lisa again, but a My Cousin Vinny reboot wouldn’t be the same without the man who brought the role to life in the first place. Ralph Macchio, of course, expressed he’d like Joe Pesci to be involved, even if it meant as a small part:
He could FaceTime it in here.
Well, that’s one way to show we’re not in the ‘90s anymore. I can picture Joe Pesci being like the Mr. Miyagi of a sequel who offers his sage advice to the next up-and-coming lawyer. But while the New Jersey native came out of retirement to film Netflix’s The Irishman and the drama film Day of the Fight in 2023, it doesn’t look like he’s is seeking out new roles anytime soon.
My Mixed Feelings on a My Cousin Vinny Revival
Ralph Macchio said the reason The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai still work today is that the themes still resonate with today’s audiences like they did in the ‘80s. However, I don’t know if I could say the same thing about My Cousin Vinny. What made the 1992 comedy film so hilarious was the cultural contrasts between two New Yorkers trying to blend among Southerners. These days, jokes like that would probably be considered offensive.
Plus, Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei brought out tough bravados with a New York charm similar to Goodfellas or Moonstruck. Nowadays, you don’t see quick-witted comedy like that anymore. Not to mention, if the Home Alone actor won’t have much of a role in the possible reboot, it would feel like a different movie or a revamping that relies too much on nostalgia or recycled jokes. At least with Cobra Kai, our hearts soared seeing all of the original people come back to delight children of the ‘80s, as well as new characters for the next generation to love. With My Cousin Vinny, it wouldn’t be the same without the OG characters.
On the other hand, I have always pictured a My Cousin Vinny sequel when my parents first introduced me to the movie as a teenager. I was honestly surprised that given the success of the comedy flick, there wasn’t a continuation already. If I were to think about a sequel, I feel like I would like to see a gender-swap. If Vinny and Lisa had a daughter, I’d be game for her being brought into a courtroom to test her law skills with her long-time fiancé tagging along.
For the same themes to resonate with this generation, it would have to be another fish-out-of-water scenario of an underdog entering a new atmosphere. But to avoid any Legally Blonde tropes, both characters would have to have the same New York bravado, or it wouldn’t work. Not to mention, it would have to have the same witty, light humor that made the American comedy a joy to see.
Cobra Kai may have struck the hearts of the old and new generation, but a My Cousin Vinny revival would have to find a way to do the same thing. I personally feel that a possible sequel would only work if the relatable themes of proving yourself against the odds came into play, as well as the OG actors coming back.
Until Karate Kid: Legends hits theaters on May 30, you can watch Cobra Kai on Netflix. If a My Cousin Vinny really does end up happening, you’ll need a refresher by watching the hit comedy with your Hulu subscription.
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