Ralph Macchio to Star in 'Karate Kid' Sequel Series

YouTube has announced a sequel series to the classic film The Karate Kid, tentatively titled Cobra Kai, that will air on YouTube Red. Cobra Kai will reunite the film’s original stars, Hamptonite Ralph Macchio and William Zabka. According to Variety, the 10-episode, half-hour comedy will see Zabka’s character, Johnny Lawrence, seeking “redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso, who has been struggling to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of his mentor, Mr. Miyagi [the late Pat Morita].”

Cobra Kai is being written by Josh Heald, known for Hot Tub Time Machine, as well as Harold and Kumar’s Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. “Like everyone who grew up in the 1980s, the three of us are enormous fans of The Karate Kid,” said Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg in a statement. “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 [production company] Overbrook for their shared enthusiasm in making our dream project a reality.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series landed at the premium YouTube Red service after a bidding process that included offers from Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and even AMC. Macchio and Zabka reportedly pitched the series “all over town.” Macchio, who starred in the first three Karate Kid movies (the less said about the Hilary Swank and Jaden Smith films, the better), has been making Hamptons audiences howl the last few years in Celebrity Autobiography, which performs annually at Guild Hall.