'Cobra Kai' Creator Weighs in on New 'The Karate Kid' Spinoff

By Daniel S. Levine

Sony Pictures announced a mysterious new Karate Kid movie last week, but the team behind Cobra Kai is not involved. Cobra Kai continues the story from the first four Karate Kid movies, and the fifth season was released on Netflix earlier this month. It is unclear what Sony is planning with this new Karate Kid movie.

After a fan asked Cobra Kai co-creator Jon Hurwitz if his team was involved in The Karate Kid movie, Hurwitz said they are not involved. "The guys and I would love to make Karate Kid and Cobra Kai movies and hope to someday," Hurwitz tweeted on Saturday. "But this one isn't from us or focused on the Cobra Kai cast. Don't know much about it, but wish it well."

All that is known about the new Karate Kid movie is that is the "return of the original Karate Kid franchise," according to the studio's announcement. It is scheduled to hit theaters on June 7, 2024, reports Variety. No cast, crew, or synopsis were announced.

The Karate Kid franchise launched in 1984 with the hugely successful original film written by Robert Mark Kamen. The film introduced Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, and William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence. The Karate Kid Part II followed in 1986, with The Karate Kid Part III in 1989. The Next Karate Kid (1984) is part of the original series, as it featured Morita as Mr. Miyagi, who trains Hilary Swank's Julie Pierce as his next pupil. In 2010, Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan starred in a remake, which never received a sequel.

Cobra Kai picks up the story after The Next Karate Kid and brought back Macchio and Zabka. The series launched on YouTube in 2018, but Sony Pictures brought it to Netflix for Season 3. The third season was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys.

The mysterious Karate Kid movie was one of many Sony movies to get a new release date on Friday. An untitled horror movie hits theaters on Jan. 6, while the Searching sequel Missing opens on Feb. 24. The Spider-Man universe movies Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter now open on Feb. 16, 2024, and Oct. 6, 2023, respectively. An untitled Sony/Marvel movie is set for July 12, 2024. Chris Pratt's Garfield opens on May 24, 2024, and Adam Driver's 65 will open on March 10, 2023. 

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