'Cobra Kai' Cancellation Rumors Swirl, But Here's the Truth

A recent Netflix ad showcasing its latest cancellations sparked rumors that Cobra Kai was canceled ahead of its fourth season. However, that may not be the case. According to Snopes, the beloved YouTube Premium turned Netflix series will continue on with the upcoming season. Cobra Kai is an up-to-date spinoff of the 1980s Karate Kid franchise. Netflix's ad, released in Feb. 2021, featured two stars of the original film and series Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso) and William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence). Underneath the photo was the headline: "Netflix Cancellations: Effective Immediately."

The headline, of course, came as a surprise to fans of the series — especially considering that Netflix had just renewed the show for another season ahead of its Season 3 premiere in January. The Netflix ad was considered a "bait and switch," meaning those who clicked on the ad would've been sent to a story by The Delite, which listed all of Netflix's cancellations and renewals. Therefore, fans can rest easy knowing the Cobra Kai cast will be back in the dojo for at least another installment.

While the premiere date for Season 4 is still up in the air, showrunner Jon Hurwitz hinted that the team is eyeing a prospective 2022 release date. "I don't have the answer, but would imagine Season 4 will come out roughly a year after Season 3," he tweeted. Macchio, who also serves as an executive producer, gave an update on production for the new chapter following the Season 3 premiere. "We are prepping ['Cobra Kai'], and, but we're waiting for the green light, you know, in this COVID world to actually move forward," he told Ryan Seacrest in an episode of On Air with Ryan Seacrest.

Cobra Kai originally debuted on YouTube Red, which was eventually transformed into YouTube Premium. It ran on the streaming service for two seasons before it was acquired by Netflix, where it received a warm welcome. The show held a trending status for a month after its release. "We knew moving to Netflix would do wonders for our visibility, but floored Cobra Kai Series has been America's most in-demand show 4 weeks running," Hurwitz tweeted, following the show's premiere. "Thank you so much for embracing our dojo. Confident you'll love our plans for Season 4!"