‘Cobra Kai’ Finds New Home On Netflix
Get ready to wax on, wax off, as ‘The Karate Kid’ series ‘Cobra Kai‘ finds a new home on Netflix, with the first two seasons, along with the yet to be released third season, all coming to the streaming service.
‘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.
“Making Cobra Kai has been a dream come true for us since day one,” commented Executive Producers Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg. “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. 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.”
‘Cobra Kai’ was airing on YouTube, however, it had become apparent that YouTube was moving away from scripted drama to unscripted shows, and the third season would likely have been the last had it stayed there. Sony Pictures Television, who make the drama, made a deal with YouTube to allow them to search for a new home, and now, here we are!
The show is written and executive produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg via their production company, Counterbalance Entertainment. Heald is the writer behind the cult classic ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ franchise, while Hurwitz & Schlossberg created the successful ‘Harold & Kumar’ film series, wrote and directed the global box office success ‘American Reunion’, and produced 2018’s hit comedy ‘Blockers’. Together, the trio conceived of this new ‘Karate Kid’ storyline that picks-up decades after the original film ends. James Lassiter and Caleeb Pinkett executive produce for Overbrook Entertainment along with Susan Ekins in association with Sony Pictures Television, with Macchio and Zabka serving as co-executive producers.
“The appeal of The Karate Kid saga is timeless, and Cobra Kai picks up right where it left off without missing a beat,” adds Brian Wright, Vice President, Original Series, Netflix. “The rivalry between Daniel and Johnny is one for the ages, and the show has a ton of heart and is a lot of fun. We can’t wait to introduce a new generation of fans to Cobra Kai and are thrilled to be its new home around the world.”
The acclaimed and much-talked-about ‘Cobra Kai’ was named 2018’s Best Drama by Rotten Tomatoes, earning a rare 100% Fresh rating for its first season. It has received two Emmy nominations, and if you’d like to know more about the drama, we interviewed stunt coordinators Hiro Koda & Jahnel Curfman last year, who were one of the groups on the series nominated for an Emmy.
We don’t yet know when ‘Cobra Kai‘ will land on Netflix, but the 3rd Season has already been filmed, so hopefully will arrive not long after Seasons 1 and 2. We’ll let you know when we hear more.
