When it launched on YouTube in 2018, the hit TV series “Cobra Kai,” received praise. The show is a continuation of “The Karate Kid”, which was first released in 1984. It follows Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), and his young team of martial artists, as they battle on the mat. The series was cancelled by YouTube Red following its second season. However, fans were not disappointed as Netflix purchased the series.
“Cobra Kai” has maintained its roots throughout the years and has created its own niche. The series also features Ralph Macchio and Zabka reprising their roles of Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso respectively. Elisabeth Shue plays Ali Mills, Tamlyn Tomita plays Kumiko, Yuji OKumoto is Chozen, and Martin Kove plays John Kreese.
The fourth season of “Cobra Kai,” which is currently in production, has the show’s producers looking for a movie franchise box office hit to add to the show’s storyline. Can “Cobra Kai” bring in events from 1989’s “The Karate Kid Part III” without this older entry threatening the Netflix series?
Cobra Kai will be bringing back the Karate Kid 3 character
Empire Magazine recently interviewed Ralph Macchio, “The Karate Kid”, and “Cobra Kai” stars about his thoughts on “The Karate Kid Part III” and its Season 4 storylines. The series will bring back Thomas Ian Griffith who played Terry Silver in the 1989 film. He said there was potential for high-quality storytelling and highlighted Terry Silver’s role as one example. He said, “There’s another side to Terry Silver. When you call upon those stories, and dive into the gray areas, it expands both the universe and story.”
“The Karate Kid Part III”, a poorly-reviewed film, is especially when compared to its predecessors. It still has a 13% Rotten Tomatoes critics score. Box Office Mojo reports that the 1989 film received a domestic opening weekend of $10 million and left U.S. theaters leaving with $38 million. The film was also criticized by critics. Variety stated that the film’s filmmakers had not been up to the task, and “resulting in a very dimwitted film that will probably spell the end of the series.” Even those who didn’t like the film overall praised Griffith’s performance. The Chicago Tribune stated that Griffith’s performance was “About all of that enlivens “The Karate Kid Part III” by Thomas Ian Griffith, adding that Griffith “seems to be having a lot of fun.”
It’s possible that Griffith will be able again to earn praise for his performance in a film that’s not well-received. It is possible that Season 4 will bring in a character from the infamous franchise film. If so, could this spell trouble for critics and fans?
We will find out when Season 4 “Cobra Kai”, Season 4, launches on Netflix on December 31.
