Though it may have seemed unlikely a few years ago, given how the possibility of a “Karate Kid” spin-off seemed downright dumb, one of the biggest acquisitions for Netflix so far this year is now official— “Cobra Kai” is coming to the streaming service.
That’s right, the ‘Karate Kid’ spin-off series that has developed a pretty big cult following over the past two years has a new home, as Netflix has secured the rights for the sequel series’ first two seasons, as well as an additional yet-to-be-produced third batch of episodes.
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Here’s the synopsis for “Cobra Kai”:
Cobra Kai takes place 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, where a now successful Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) struggles to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of Mr. Miyagi, and must face his previous adversary, down-and-out Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), who seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo.
The series is written and produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg. Upon its release on YouTube Red (now called YouTube Premium), the ‘Karate Kid’ spin-off series was the clear standout amongst some terrible competition on the streaming service. And when it was clear that YouTube wasn’t interested in more “Cobra Kai,” the producers began to search for a new home for the series. And that’s when Netflix pounced.
And it appears that the writers-producers aren’t playing it safe, as they have their sights set on further exploring “The Karate Kid” universe.
“Making Cobra Kai has been a dream come true for us since day one. We are thankful for the tireless dedication of Jeff Frost, Chris Parnell, Jason Clodfelter, Karen Tatevosian, and all our partners at Sony for finding us a new home where we can not only continue the series, but also explore opportunities to further expand ‘The Karate Kid’ universe,” said Heald, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg. We are beyond excited to join our new partners at Netflix and look forward to the show reaching the massive global audience who loves this franchise as much as we do.”
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively. Martin Kove also returns as sensei John Kreese.
The first two seasons of “Cobra Kai” will debut on Netflix this year, with the third season to follow in the future. You can watch the trailer for the series, from its YouTube days, below: