The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film produced by Jerry Weintraub, directed by John G. Avildsen, written by Robert Mark Kamen, in which a martial arts master agrees to teach karate to a bullied teenager. It stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, William Zabka and Elisabeth Shue. It is an underdog story in the mold of a previous success with Rocky (1976), which Avildsen also directed. The film features the Gōjū-ryū, Gōjū Kai style of karate. The Karate Kid was a commercial success upon release and garnered critical acclaim, earning Morita an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film became the first installment in an ongoing film series, spawning three sequels, a 2010 remake and a follow-up 2018 television series.