Let is be known that Netflix shows no mercy when it comes to scooping up the exclusive rights to in-demand entertainment for their forever-growing platform. It's been announced that Netflix will now be the official home of COBRA KAI, YouTube's uber-popular scripted series based on characters hailing from The Karate Kid film series. In addition to the exclusive rights to Season 3 of COBRA KAI, Netflix will have access on a non-exclusive basis to the first two seasons of the show for fans to enjoy. Seasons 1 and 2 of COBRA KAI, starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, will make their Netflix bow this year, with an all-new season to follow.
As the story goes, Sony Pictures TV had been shopping the series, with many of today's top-ranked streamers showing interest in the martial arts drama. In time, the list had been whittled down to just Netflix and Hulu. Then, thanks to what I can only assume was a dump truck filled with cash, an impressive subscriber base, and the ability to stream to customers all over the globe, Netflix landed a elaborate crane kick to Hulu's bread basket, thereby making them the new dojo for COBRA KAI.
Now, just because COBRA KAI is headed to Netflix, that doesn't mean that YouTube will stop hosting episodes belonging to the first two seasons of the series. You see, YouTube's existing arragement with CORBA KAI states that under their original license agreement with Sony TV, YouTube can become a non-exclusive distributor of the first two seasons. Huzzah! Furthermore, while the new deal with Netflix only relates to COBRA KAI, there have been whispers that Netflix and Sony TV are toying with the idea of expanding the Karate Kid franchise with another series.
COBRA KAI takes place 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, where a now successful Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) struggles to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of Mr. Miyagi, and must face his previous adversary, down-and-out Johnny Lawrence ( Zabka), who seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo.
“The appeal of The Karate Kid saga is timeless, and Cobra Kai picks up right where it left off without missing a beat. 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,” said Brian Wright, VP, Original Series, Netflix “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.”
“Making Cobra Kai has been a dream come true for us since day one. 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,” writers and executive producers Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg said. “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."
Finally, Jeff Frost, President of Sony Pictures Television also expressed his excitement about the future of COBRA KAI, as well as Netflix becoming the series' new home:
“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. 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.”
Are you excited for COBRA KAI to make its way to Netflix? Are you Team Robby or Team Miguel? Let us know which side of the battle you're on in the comments section below.