Yes, that’s right… They’re looking to revive another 80s classic. This time on YouTube.
A TV sequel to The Karate Kid was recently announced, and fans will be able to check in on the original 80s stars when it premieres on digital streaming platform YouTube Red.
Not currently available in the UK, YouTube Red is Google’s Netflix-like SVOD option, offering exclusive content for $9.99 a month. That strikes us as somewhat pricey, but it does at least seem to be gathering up some interesting content.
In addition to The Karate Kid, it’s just launched the first trailer for Good Game, a sitcom set in the world of eSports with Dan Harmon amongst is executive producers (watch that trailer below).
While Pat Morita has sadly passed away, his co-stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka will be back for this ‘Kid spin-off, reprising their respective hero and villain roles. According to YouTube, Cobra Kai starts when the now down-and-out bad guy Johnny reopens the titular dojo, thereby reigniting his rivalry with Daniel, sometime Karate Kid. The promise is that there will actually be karate from the leads in the show. That’s honestly something we want to see. Can Macchio still do the crane?
Interestingly, Harold and Kumar‘s Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are scripting alongside Hot Tub Time Machine’s Josh Heald. Quite how broad the comedy will go remains to be seen, but this thing is bound to be positively dripping with nostalgia.
We do wonder if this commission is enough to spark interest in YouTube Red, and if the service will remain unavailable in the UK, where we might get to see the show instead..?
Other incoming YouTube Red shows include a Step Up spin-off called High Water. With that and a Karate Kid sequel we’re guessing their key target market is everybody I regularly ate lunch with in sixth form. If Netflix were going to stream this, it would absolutely huge. But on an SVOD service still scrabbling to build a library…?
You can see a preview of Step Up: High Water below. Cobra Kai will go into production next year.