YouTube Red

YouTube Red Unveils First Teaser Trailer For ‘Karate Kid’ Reboot Series

After announcing that a Karate Kid sequel series was in the works last August, YouTube Red has unveiled the first-ever teaser for Cobra Kai, which picks up 30 years after the original film series concluded.

Named for the karate dojo around which the films were set, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka will reprise their roles as rivals decades after they first faced off at the All Valley Karate Tournament in 1984. In the teaser, Zabka’s character, Johnny Lawrence, decides to reopen the Cobra Kai after his life has taken a turn for the worse, reports Entertainment Weekly. Meanwhile, Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso, has been leading a picture-perfect life with his family. The series marks YouTube Red’s second series based on an existing franchise — following last month’s Step Up: High Water — and is set to premiere later this year.

Other actors in the series include: Xolo Maridueña (Parenthood), who will play a high school bullying victim taken under Johnny’s wing; Tanner Buchanan, who plays Johnny’s son; and Ed Asner as Johnny’s old-school stepfather. Courtney Henggeler will play Daniel’s wife and business partner, while Mary Mouser (Freakish) will play his firecracker daughter.

Subscribe to get the latest creator news

Subscribe

Cobra Kai was written by Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine), Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, who are executive producing alongside Susan Ekins, Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett. Hurwitz and Schlossberg will direct most of the episodes.

In an interview earlier this week, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki called YouTube Red “really a music service” — despite its oversized content ambitions.

Share
Published by
Geoff Weiss

Recent Posts

Have you heard? It’s science time, college football on YouTube, and “copium” for the dictionary.

Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends,…

2 days ago

Oh Canada! YouTube’s nine-project creator programming slate takes it north of the border.

YouTube didn't just use the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to premiere new projects helmed by creators. It…

2 days ago

What if livestreamers could do product placement without real products?

Live content drives sales. From street hawkers of ancient times to QVC hosts to lightning-fast,…

2 days ago

After working with Congressional reps, the Creators Caucus heads to the Senate

What can creators accomplish when they lobby the U.S. Senate? We're about to find out.…

2 days ago

Whatnot says its new terms include “the lowest commission rates in the industry”

Whatnot just made a compelling offer to its community: The more they sell, the bigger their…

3 days ago