Ralph Macchio is reminiscing about his time making the 1984 film, The Karate Kid. Speaking to PEOPLE at the premiere of the new film Karate Kid: Legends, Macchio said many of his memories revolve around the late Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi.

Macchio, 63, said he has "tons of favorite memories" from filming his breakout role as Daniel LaRusso — and many revolve around working with his former costar, Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi.

"From the original, every day working with Pat Morita, it was a blessed partnership and it still resonates," Macchio said. Morita died in 2005 at 73 years old.

Macchio added that the Legends film — which costars Jackie Chan — expands on the broader Karate Kid saga.

"The reason I'm in this movie is to pay that legacy forward. Shedding a little piece of Miyagi forward," Macchio continued. "It's never the wrong thing to do in Daniel LaRusso's eyes and in Ralph Macchio's eyes."

What Makes Karate Kid: Legends Different

Macchio explained to PEOPLE that the Legends film has a different style compared to the original.

"This film has more of like an early Jackie Chan movie style, a Hong Kong style," he said at the premiere. "The fight, the cameras are really wide lenses inside the fights. There's humor laced throughout and there was always humor in the Karate Kid films, but the original film was kind of cinema magic — very romantic, wide, long takes, dialogue scenes that breathe."

He continued: "This is quicker pace for this generation, but laced with humor, excitement, next level martial arts and Ben Wang [the young actor who plays Li Fong in the film] is a rock star in the movie."

Karate Kid: Legends is in theaters May 30. For more entertainment news, check out these stories:

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