Despite the stories of Patton Oswalt (see the video below), the story of Karate Kid’s Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is not over. It’s just been announced that he and the original Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) will be taking to YouTube Red next year with a 10-episode comedy series called “Cobra Kai.”
Here’s what it says about the new show in the press release:
“Thirty years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence (Zabka) seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), who has been struggling to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of his mentor, Mr. Miyagi. The show is about two men addressing past demons and present frustrations the only way they know how: through karate.”
The idea of taking the series in a new direction and making it a comedy is a really interesting take and it will be interesting to see how good it is and whether there’s enough of a fan base there to get people to pay to see it on the Youtube Red platform.
Along with Macchio and Zabka, the series will also feature the behind the camera talent of Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine), and Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (Harold and Kumar) who will handle directing duties.