Ralph Macchio is back as Daniel LaRusso in the new Karate Kid film, Karate Kid: Legends, and he's sharing what fans can expect from the latest installment in the franchise.

Macchio, 63, caught up with PEOPLE at the New York City premiere of Karate Kid: Legends, where he shared that the new movie has a unique approach, unlike the original films."This is a quicker pace for this generation, but laced with humor, excitement, next level martial arts and Ben Wang is a rock star in the movie," Macchio says.

The new movie, which releases in theaters on May 30, features a different style, inspired by early Jackie Chan movies, with a focus on humor and action.

Macchio, who starred in the 1984 original Karate Kid movie and its two sequels, reprising his role in the spinoff series Cobra Kai, is proud to be a part of the new film, saying, "The reason I'm in this movie is to pay that legacy forward. Shedding a little piece of Miyagi forward. It's never the wrong thing to do in Daniel LaRusso's eyes and in Ralph Macchio's eyes."

Ben Wang, who stars alongside Macchio and Jackie Chan in the film, praised Macchio for his generosity on set, saying, "He's been this character for 40 years, and so coming into it, I felt an obligation to honor that legacy. But he had a call with me very early on where he said, this is your character and you should feel free to do with him what you'd like. That really freed me up to play, and I think that's one of the coolest things that any sort of star has ever done for me."

For more on Karate Kid: Legends, check out PEOPLE's exclusive interview with Sadie Stanley and Miley Cyrus' latest news.

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