“Cobra Kai” has found a new home at Netflix. The flagship YouTube series will become a Netflix original series, beginning with the upcoming season three. In addition to securing exclusive rights to season three of the show, Netflix will also have access on a non-exclusive basis to the first two seasons of the show, so fans can binge and catch up on the platform, Deadline reported.
“Cobra Kai” is a sequel to the hit movie “Karate Kid.” Starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, the series picks up 30 years after Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) wins the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament and struggles to find balance in his life without Mr. Miyagi. LaRusso also has to go face-to-face with longtime nemesis, Johnny Lawrence ( Zabka), who is looking to redeem his name 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.”
Season one of “Cobra Kai” became a massive hit for YouTube when it debuted in 2018. Its first episode topped 55 million YouTube views, ranking as the sixth-most Google-searched TV show that year. “Cobra Kai” was also named 2018’s Best Drama by Rotten Tomatoes, earning a rare 100% Fresh rating, Deadline stated.
News that the show was being shopped to other streamers first broke in May, after YouTube nixed a fourth season, allowing partner Sony Pictures TV to pitch the series elsewhere. At the time, it was reported YouTube’s long-term strategy had changed, moving away from original scripted programming in favor of unscripted shows.