The popular Netflix series Cobra Kai might be in its final season, but the spirit of the show could live on through potential spin-offs, as hinted by the show’s creators, Hayden Schlossberg, Josh Heald, and Jon Hurwitz. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the creators shared that while the first part of the final season is currently streaming, the creators are contemplating new narratives that could extend the franchise’s legacy, including a prequel centred on Mr. Miyagi, the wise mentor whose lessons have resonated throughout the franchise.
Cobra Kai, which originally spun off from the iconic Karate Kid films, has breathed new life into the saga by shifting focus from the original hero to the antagonist, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). This reimagining has opened the door for exploring other characters besides Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) in depth. Schlossberg expressed a particular interest in delving into the past of Mr. Miyagi, the wise mentor famously portrayed by Pat Morita.
The idea for a Mr. Miyagi prequel stems partly from Season 6’s storyline involving a mysterious box belonging to Miyagi, which raises questions about his history and origins. “It is one of the reasons why we did the Miyagi box story this season. It opens up all these questions about Mr. Miyagi and what his life was like, and that’s been something we’ve been wanting to do for a while. We’ve talked to Robert Mark Kamen, the writer of the original Karate Kid who based this whole movie off his sensei who studied Okinawan karate; we’ve been talking about all this Miyagi backstory with him, which helped us with Season 6 stuff,” Schlossberg noted.
While the focus remains on concluding Cobra Kai with the reverence it deserves, the possibility of a prequel dedicated to Mr. Miyagi is a strong contender for future exploration. “We definitely want to do [a Mr. Miyagi series] and have been talking about that. But the focus has been on Cobra Kai. As we’re finishing that up, we’ll see exactly what path we take in terms of spinoffs, but it is definitely something that we’ve been wanting to do. It’s just that we want to wait until we get finished with Cobra Kai first before we get into that,” Schlossberg emphasised.
Mr. Miyagi remains a character shrouded in mystery within the Karate Kid universe, partly due to Morita’s passing in 2005, which led the series to treat Miyagi’s character with a respectful finality. However, exploring his life in a prequel could offer fans a deeper understanding of his philosophies and the events that shaped him, potentially enriching the entire franchise.
The first part of Season 6, which consists of five episodes, dropped on 18 July, pulling in a whopping 24.3 million views worldwide in just two weeks. As Cobra Kai fans await the second instalment of the final season on 15 November and the third part in 2025, the excitement about the franchise’s future continues to build, particularly around the revered character of Mr. Miyagi, whose past may be brought to light in a new spinoff series.
Remember, Cobra Kai never dies!
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
Kevin Low
