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 was dubbed YouTube Red, securing a second season renewal after the pilot saw over 20 million views in less than a week. Although the series was given the green light for a third season, and production wrapped long ago, things were put on ice when YouTube opted to move on from scripted programming. In fact, Cobra Kai marks the final scripted series to exit YouTube.
“We are so proud of Cobra Kai and are overwhelmed by the massive fan response to the series. Josh, Jon, Hayden, Ralph, William and the entire cast have done such a brilliant job with this sensational series and the huge audience reaction and sentiment for it is a testament to that,” said Sony TV president Jeff Frost. “We are very thankful to our partners at Netflix and couldn’t be more elated that they have become the new home for this epic saga.”
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“Making Cobra Kai has been a dream come true for us since day one,” exec producers Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg said in a joint statement. “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.”
Both seasons of Cobra Kai will surface on Netflix later this year. A premiere date for the highly anticipated third season will be announced by Sony in the near future. Here’s hoping it lands before summer’s end; otherwise, it’s going to be a…
