cobra kai

Catch THE KARATE KID For One-Night With A Sneak Peek At COBRA KAI Next Month

Fathom Events is obliging fans with an exclusive one-night showing that will pack a crane kick for fans of The Karate Kid crowd. The 1984 coming-of-age drama from director John G. Avildsen will have a select theatrical event rollout on April 25 at 7:00pm local time, accompanied by an early look at the first two-episodes of YouTube Red series, Cobra Kai. Originally hitting theaters in 1984, “The Karate Kid” received critical acclaim as a heart-stopping yet endearing underdog story following the friendship of high schooler Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and his apartment maintenance man turned martial arts trainer Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), as Daniel prepares to take on arch-rival Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) in the All Valley Karate Tournament. Through Miyagi’s teaching, Daniel learns important life lessons, overcomes adversity and ultimately faces his opponent in an epic match. An instant commercial success, the film spawned a franchise of memorabilia, three […]

The Official Trailer For YouTube Red Series COBRA KAI Kicks Nostalgia In The Face

Lee B. Golden III

Weeks and weeks of short teasers and promos now bring netizens in full view of the official trailer for YouTube Red series, Cobra Kai. The first few seconds feel like a tiny spoiler if you have a keen eye and sense in comparing the footage to that of the original film, but what ensues is a raft of reasons to get into the narrative. Roles swap in this new installment with actor Ralph Macchio taking on a more antagonistic persona for the show opposite William Zabka whose own arc is the crux of the series. Homages to the past film franchise are abound in addition to a fresher blood for this latest spin-off which also hails the emegence of actor Xolo Maridueña in a role that clearly echoes that of Macchio’s in 1984. These ought to give way to understanding the mechanisms behind what drives this show ahead and otherwise […]

‘The Karate Kid’ Sequel Series, COBRA KAI, Unleashes An Ominius Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

YouTube Red will have its way with netizens later this year upon the premiere of The Karate Kid series, Cobra Kai. The sequel to the classic underdog fight drama now has a teaser online introducing a narrative centric to that of Johnny (William Zabka), stoic and struggling amid his search for heuristic redemption thirty-four years after the All Valley Karate Tournament upon losing to a now happily-married and successful Daniel (Ralph Macchio). The drama escalates when the two clash over Johnny’s interest in reopening his old Karate school, Cobra Kai, next to mentoring school bullying victim Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) while suffering from a rift with his own son, Robby (Tanner Buchanan). Ed Asner will play Johnny’s old-school stepfather, Sid Weinberg, with Macchio joined by Courtney Henggeler who will play Daniel’s wife and business partner, Amanda, both parents to daughter Samantha, played by Mary Mouser. Hurwitz and Schlossberg will direct much of the […]

COBRA KAI: William Zabka To Sweep More Legs In ‘Karate Kid’ Comedy Sequel Series For YouTube Red

Lee B. Golden III

YouTube Red’s push to continue growing into a viable platform for its own exclusive content has found itself a new concept in John G. Avildsen’s 1984 award-winning martial arts drama classic, The Karate Kid, starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka. For this, we turn to Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment where upcoming comedy series Cobra Kai, is now in the works for a 2018 premiere from screenwriter Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine) and duo Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (Harold and Kumar). The original film saw Macchio in the memorable role of New Jerseyan Daniel LaRusso, newly settled in Reseda, California and forced into an extempore martial arts tournament challenge with his cheerleader girlfriend’s ex, Johnny Lawrence (Zabka) and his unscrupulous Cobra Kai Dojo classmates. Aided by his home’s maintenance man and World War II veteran, Miyagi Kesuke (the late Morita Noriyuki, a.k.a. Pat Morita), LaRusso undergoes an unorthodox regimen […]