Ralph Macchio
Cobra Kai to End After Season 6
The forthcoming sixth season of Cobra Kai will be its final showdown: Creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg announced in a letter to fans today that Season 6 of Netflix’s Karate Kid spinoff series would be its last. Ahead of its premiere, you get a glimpse of what’s to come in a new teaser clip. “Making Cobra Kai has allowed us to join the same hallowed dojo once inhabited by the great Robert Mark Kamen, John Avildsen, Jerry Weintraub, and all the amazing original cast members,” Heald, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg wrote. “It has also enabled us to play sensei, expanding the original storylines and birthing a new generation of underdogs. We’ve never once taken this opportunity for granted.” The letter continues: “Our day one goal with Cobra Kai has always been to end it ...
Cobra Kai Strikes Hard Through an Operatic, Over-the-Top Season 5: Review
The Pitch: As the Bard once wrote, things are rotten in the San Fernando Valley. Under the mentorship of obscenely wealthy karate villain Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), Cobra Kai won last year’s All-Valley tournament — due in no small part to Silver’s illegal intervention. Plus, Silver’s money has given the dojo a facelift, and he plans to expand its no-mercy ethos to kids all over the country. Moreover, he’s framed former sensei Kreese (Martin Kove) for assault, leaving him unfettered control over the dojo while his mentor rots in prison. Our heroes aren’t exactly equipped to combat him, either: The loss at All-Valley months prior has broken Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) spirit, driving him further into paranoid obsession over Silver’s influence on his life. Johnny Lawrence (Willi...
Daniel LaRusso Shuts Down the Dojo in Cobra Kai Season 5 Trailer: Watch
Netflix has released the thrilling trailer for Season 5 of Cobra Kai, offering an extended look at Daniel LaRusso’s crusade to bring down the eponymous dojo following its unexpected win at the All Valley Tournament. There’s a lot going on in the clip, with LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) left to come up with a plan of his own while former rival-turned-ally Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) does some soul-searching. As Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) moves to expand Cobra Kai beyond the Valley while John Kreese rots in prison, LaRusso is set on doing whatever it takes to expose Silver for what he really is. “This is what we’re up against,” LaRusso tells another rival-turned-friend Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto) about Silver. “This is how everyone sees him, as some kind of philanthropist out to...
Cobra Kai Season 5: Everything We Know About the Netflix Show’s Return
Nearly 40 years after Mr. Miyagi famously taught Daniel LaRusso how to paint a fence and wash a car in the original Karate Kid films, the Miyagi-verse has expanded exponentially, beginning with the release of Cobra Kai, a Netflix original series spin-off of the iconic franchise. The series reunites William Zabka and Ralph Macchio in their breakout roles, while introducing a whole new crew of karate kids. Premiering in 2018, Cobra Kai has answered the question: What happens to Daniel after his time with Mr. Miyagi? Since their days with Mr. Miyagi, Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), and his peer, Johnny Lawerence (Zabka) have started their own dojos, mentoring a new gang of fighters. Since its conception, the show has re-sparked love for the original films and become one of Netflix’s most streamed s...
Cobra Kai Is Still Nostalgic Fun, But Starts to Pull Its Punches in Season 4: Review
The Pitch: At the end of Season 3, things were changing for the inexplicably-karate-obsessed denizens of Encino, California. Sensei John Kreese (Martin Kove) is now fully in command of Cobra Kai, with Johnny Lawrence’s (William Zabka) troubled son Robby (Taylor Buchanan) now his trusted sempai; the school’s firmly back on its ‘strike hard, strike fast, no mercy’ kick, especially in a softened Lawrence’s absence. But as a new year (and a new karate tournament) dawns, Lawrence has one way of getting Kreese out of town for good: if either he or his former-rival-turned-reluctant-ally Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) can get their dojos to win the All-Valley, Kreese is gone forever. It’s a tall order, considering that a) Johnny and Daniel-san’s decades-long rivalry still simmers below the su...
Cobra Kai Workout Mix: Cast Shares Their Go-To Pump-Up Jams
Cobra Kai and music go together like Daniel and Miyagi. Just think back to all the needle drops: Johnny Lawrence brooding to Foreigner in his Firebird. He and LaRusso singing REO Speedwagon together. The Alan Parsons Project closing out the pilot. These moments are all over The Karate Kid spinoff series, and they always get us pumped up. But, what about the actual cast? What songs get them pumped up? In anticipation of Season 3, which premieres on Friday, January 1st, Consequence of Sound sat down with your favorite heroes of Cobra Kai to hear what they take to the dojo with them. From AC/DC to Meek Mill, their responses extended well beyond the show’s ’80s roots. Peyton List, aka Tory Nichols: “I’m sometimes embarrassed by my music tastes. I feel like it’s a lot of Doja Cat or something b...
Cobra Kai Season 3 Brings The Karate Kid Sequels Back Into the Dojo: Review
It’s a Cruel Winter: Dark clouds have descended upon the rolling hills of Encino, California. Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) remains in a coma following Season 2’s climactic battle at West Valley High. Robby Lawrence (Tanner Buchanan) is on the lam, tortured by his betrayal of Miyagi-Do’s code. And Samantha La Russo (Mary Mouser) is suffering PTSD after being sent to the hospital at the hands of Tory (Peyton List). Meanwhile, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is back in the bottle, stumbling into Reseda sports bars as quickly as he’s being tossed out of ’em. Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) is losing favor across town and his community, which spells trouble for the future of his dealership. And John Kreese (Martin Kove) is planning his next move at the titular Cobra Kai dojo, where he’s cru...
Cobra Kai Season 3 Premiere Date Confirmed With Scorching Hot Teaser Trailer: Watch
Good news Cobra Kai fans. Today, Netflix dropped a new teaser trailer for its highly anticipated third season. Not only does it announce a premiere date of January 8th, 2021, but it also confirms a fourth season is “officially training to join the fight.” As for the actually teaser, there are a few glimpses of what’s to come. It looks like Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) are at least on speaking terms again. Meanwhile, Robby (Tanner Buchanan) appears to be in juvie following his attack on Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña), who wakes up at the end in the hospital. That last reveal is admittedly rather surprising, seeing how Miguel’s fate is the true cliffhanger at the end of Season 2. What’s also intriguing is how this teaser leaves out any shots of Okinawa, Ja...
Cobra Kai Offers Lifelong Lessons on Redemption
“You can’t let the mistakes of your past determine your future.” Cobra Kai is a study in redemption. On August 28th, the former YouTube series hit Netflix with a splash, offering uplifting empowerment and sweet nostalgia that feels like rooting through an old shoebox filled with mixtapes. After all, 1984’s The Karate Kid is a beloved classic that empowered a generation to stand up for themselves (not to mention, catch flies with chopsticks and practicing crane kicks on the playground). But by expanding the narrative, Cobra Kai offers a powerful story of redemption that is a much-needed and much-welcome message for these divided times. The series follows a down-on-his-luck Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), the bleache-blonde bully who tormented Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and ultimately l...
What’s Next for Cobra Kai?
The future is bright for Cobra Kai. Two years after it first premiered on YouTube Red — ha, anyone remember YouTube Red? – The Karate Kid spinoff series is a pop culture phenomenon. Lesson learned? Never doubt the influence of Netflix. For die-hard fans, this development is both aggravating and refreshing. As Johnny Lawrence might say, “Where the hell have you wimps been all this time?” But then again, as Daniel LaRusso might wisely counter, “More fans, more future.” After all, without Netflix, there was no telling whether Cobra Kai would live past its forthcoming third season. If you recall, YouTube was in no place to commit to a fourth season, which means the doors would have most certainly closed on this dojo. Editors’ Picks Given the response and the fact that the show has been N...
The Karate Kid Spinoff Series Cobra Kai Moves to Netflix
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka of Cobra Kai at C2E2 2019, photo by Heather Kaplan Wax on, wax off: Cobra Kai has left YouTube for Netflix. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Karate Kid spinoff series, starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, has found a new home with the streaming giant for its third season. “The appeal of The Karate Kid saga is timeless, and Cobra Kai picks up right where it left off without missing a beat,” said Brian Wright, Netflix vp originals. “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 series debuted on YouTube in May 2018, back when it wa...
