Fall in, students of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang Karate. Season 4 of Cobra Kai is officially underway, and it's not about to show you any mercy.
The start of production on Season 4 brings more exciting news for fans of the Karate Kid spin-off series, with word that Vanessa Rubio and Peyton List have been upped to series regulars for the upcoming season. Additionally, Dallas Dupree Young (The Good Place, Ready Player One) and newcomer Oona O’Brien have joined the cast for recurring roles.
Rubio has played Miguel Diaz's (Xolo Maridueña) no-nonsense mother, Carmen Diaz, since Season 1, while List has thrown punches as Tory Nichols, since Season 2. Tory is an attitudinal teen who's been hardened by an unfair legal system as well as a series of family-related issues.
The third season of Cobra Kai premiered in January, hitting No. 1 worldwide on the Netflix charts in no time at all. For real, people can't seem to get enough of this show. Even my mom watches it. You should see the exciting texts I get from time to time. She's very invested.
When it comes to the show's new faces, Young will recur as Kenny, a bullied new kid in school who turns to karate as a way to defend himself. O’Brien will play Devon, a potential new karate student who is relentlessly competitive, a quick study, and equally quick-tempered when she’s provoked. Whoa! Another female character? It's about damn time. In my opinion, Samantha Larusso (Mary Mouser) and List shouldn't have to shoulder so much as the only female remaining students of Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai. Oh, and another thing, let's give Sam an interesting arc next season, yeah? I've had enough of her being caught in a love triangle with Miguel and Robby (Tanner Buchanan). It's high time that we give her some real agency and something to do other than ping-pong between two dudes.
Cobra Kai is written and executive produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg through their production company, Counterbalance Entertainment. Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett executive produce for Westbrook Entertainment in addition to Susan Ekins in association with Sony Pictures Television. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka also act as executive producers.