It’s time to wax on, wax off again, because “The Karate Kid” is returning — this time as a new comedy series.
Set 30 years after the original “Karate Kid,” Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) will reignite their rivalry in the 10-episode half-hour TV sequel “Cobra Kai,” set to premiere exclusively on YouTube Red next year.
“Like everyone who grew up in the 1980s, the three of us are enormous fans of The Karate Kid,” executive producers and writers Josh Heald (“Hot Tub Time Machine”), Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (“Harold and Kumar”) said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Cobra Kai will be a true continuation of the original films — packed with comedy, heart and thrilling fight scenes. We can’t wait to reignite the LaRusso-Lawrence rivalry, and we’re thankful to our partners at YouTube Red, Sony Pictures Television and Overbrook for their shared enthusiasm in making our dream project a reality.”
“Cobra Kai” revolves around Johnny as he reopens the infamous Cobra Kai dojo and seeks redemption from Daniel from the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. Daniel, who is now successful, struggles to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of his mentor Mr. Miyagi (the late Pat Morita). The comedy will follow the duo as they battle out over past and present frustrations through, of course, karate.
“The Karate Kid,” first released in 1984, reached cult status through the story of new kid Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, the school janitor and mentor in life and karate to Daniel.
The comedy series landed at YouTube Red after a competitive bidding process that included popular streaming rivals Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and AMC. “Cobra Kai” is set to debut in 2018.
