The Karate Kid, starring Ralph Macchio from 1984 struck gold upon its initial release, spawning three sequels. In 2010, a reboot emerged, but the original franchise’s revival took center stage when YouTube Red, later rebranded as YouTube Premium, breathed new life into it with Cobra Kai in 2018. The series’ immense success led it to outgrow YouTube’s premium subscription service, prompting a move to Netflix before its third season.
During an interview with Jake’s Takes on YouTube, Ralph Macchio was questioned regarding the potential inclusion of Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan in Cobra Kai and how these newcomers might integrate with the established characters on the show.
Ralph Macchio On His Chances Of Returning To The Franchise
As Ralph Macchio ruled out the appearance of two characters, he left the door ajar for the potential inclusion of a third character from the films in the show. In his response, Macchio also noted that on the flip side, a character like Julie Pierce, portrayed by Hilary Swank, had a connection with Miyagi. He was alluding to the 1994 film The Next Karate Kid, which marked the final installment in the series before the 2010 reboot.
Macchio said (via YouTube):
“The flip side of that is that someone like Julie Pierce, who was Hilary Swank’s role, did know Miyagi.”
The prospect of Julie Pierce making an appearance in the show has been hinted at previously by individuals associated with Cobra Kai. During an April 2022 Deadline Contenders TV panel, Hayden Schlossberg mentioned that Swank’s character is among the options they have for potential inclusion in Cobra Kai.
Swank, who collaborated with Netflix on the 2020 sci-fi series Away, has been candid about the show. She mentioned that she’s often queried about a potential appearance in the TV series continuation. While she hasn’t confirmed her involvement, she hasn’t dismissed the idea either. The outcome remains uncertain, and we’ll need to await further developments.
Ralph Macchio Almost Quit The Franchise After Spin-off Pitch
During the 1990s, Ralph Macchio displayed hesitance towards the reboot proposals that were presented. However, considering the recent success of Cobra Kai, it’s evident that this turned out to be a favorable decision. When asked by Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live about previous ideas for rebooting the series and whether he had declined any, Macchio responded:
Macchio told Kimmel:
“Over the years I was very hesitant to go back, I just felt the Karate Kid film and that franchise was so like I said beloved by fans that I didn’t want to mess with it. But yeah, over the years I would get, you know, you know what I think it came more from the perspective of people wanting to see more of it, less than how could we help that.”
During the conversation with Jimmy Kimmel, when inquired about a specific idea he had no choice but to consider, the 61-year-old American actor explained that this concept was reminiscent of The Star Wars Universe, where the notion of Jedi returning as spectral entities holds significant mystical significance.
Cobra Kai can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: YouTube
