In 2018, Sony Pictures TV teamed up with YouTube Red to produce Cobra Kai, a sequel series to the hit Karate Kid films from the ’80s. Most notably, both of The Karate Kid‘s surviving primary stars, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, signed on to reprise their respective roles as former rivals Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. The show picked up decades later, as Johnny revived the Cobra Kai dojo to turn his life around and mentor the next generation of martial arts enthusiasts. Daniel took that as a sign to start up his own dojo, and his rivalry with Johnny was born again.
Netflix picked up Cobra Kai after the second season, and the show has gone on to become an even bigger hit. Now, Cobra Kai is in production of its sixth and final season, but this series may not be the end of the Miyagi-verse that began in 1984 with The Karate Kid. Here’s everything we know about Cobra Kai season 6 to prepare you for the new season.
What happened in Cobra Kai season 5?
The Cobra Kai dojo was ascendant after Tory Nichols’ victory in the All-Valley Karate Tournament. Daniel was despondent, and he disbanded his Miyagi-Do dojo. Meanwhile, Johnny did not give up on bringing down Terry Silver, the man who usurped control of Cobra Kai and was even more underhanded than Johnny’s imprisoned mentor, John Kreese. Eventually, Johnny and another one of Daniel’s ex-rivals, Chozen Toguchi, were able to reinvigorate Daniel’s fighting spirit to save the soul of the valley’s karate competition.
With the help of Tory and the other students who remained loyal to Daniel and Johnny, their combined dojo managed to get the evidence that Silver bribed judges at the All-Valley tournament to ensure Tory’s victory. That was enough to get Silver arrested. Meanwhile, Kreese faked his death in prison and successfully escaped to get his revenge on both Johnny and Daniel.
Who is in the cast for Cobra Kai season 6?
The following cast members are either confirmed or extremely likely to return for Cobra Kai season 6.
- Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso
- William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence
- Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso
- Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz
- Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene
- Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso
- Jacob Bertrand as Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz
- Martin Kove as John Kreese
- Peyton List as Tory Nichols
- Vanessa Rubio as Carmen Diaz
- Dallas Dupree Young as Kenny Payne
Following the arrest of Terry Silver in Cobra Kai‘s fifth season finale, it’s unknown if Thomas Ian Griffith will be in the regular cast for the final season. However, it would be shocking if Silver doesn’t show up again. Cobra Kai also has a large supporting cast of performers who have appeared regularly. Sony Pictures TV has yet to confirm which supporting characters will return next season.
Will Hilary Swank guest star in Cobra Kai season 6?
There is no definitive answer for that yet. The producers of the show seem interested in having Hilary Swank reprise her role as Julie Pierce from The Next Karate Kid, since she was the last known student of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). Since Macchio’s Daniel did not return for The Next Karate Kid, he never shared the screen with Julie, and it’s unknown if he ever met her.
During a December 2023 interview with Deadline, showrunners Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg noted that they are all fans of Swank, a two-time winner for Best Actress at the Oscars. The showrunners also left the door open for Swank or other veterans from the Karate Kid movies to appear in the final season. Swank most recently starred in Alaska Daily for ABC, which has now been canceled. Whether that will allow Swank to appear on Cobra Kai remains to be seen.
Who is C.S. Lee playing in Cobra Kai season 6?
As revealed in November 2023 via Deadline, Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s C.S. Lee is one of the major additions to Cobra Kai season 6. Lee will step into the role of Master Kim Sun-Young, the man who originated the ruthless Cobra Kai fighting style, The Way of the Fist. Master Kim has previously appeared in flashbacks in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai, with Jun Chong and Don Lee, respectively, playing the part.
Because Master Kim is dead, Lewis’ appearances in Cobra Kai are likely to be flashbacks. Master Kim is also the grandfather of Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim), a character introduced in Cobra Kai season 5.
Is there a trailer for Cobra Kai season 6?
No, not yet. And it’s unclear when a trailer will arrive. The original plan was for Cobra Kai season 6 to be filmed in 2023 for a debut in 2024. However, the writers’ and actors’ strikes kept Hollywood production on hold for six months in 2023. Cobra Kai season 6 only resumed production in early January 2024, and we don’t know how far along the show’s final season is.
It’s not out of the question for Cobra Kai season 6 to arrive later this year. If so, the trailer will be released at least a month or more before the premiere.
Is the new Karate Kid movie connected to Cobra Kai season 6?
Quite possibly. Via EW, Macchio has signed on to reprise his role as Daniel in Sony’s next Karate Kid movie. Additionally, Jackie Chan, who starred as Mr. Han in the 2010 Karate Kid remake, will also be back in the new film.
Jonathan Entwistle (The End of the F***ing World) is slated to direct the new Karate Kid movie from a script by Rob Lieber. Sony Pictures has a December 13, 2024 release date lined up, but no other cast members have been announced. Because of the various strike delays, don’t be too shocked if this release date gets pushed back to 2025 or later.
When will Cobra Kai season 6 premiere on Netflix?
On February 1, Netflix announced its series and film slates for 2024. Cobra Kai season 6 will premiere in 2024, although no specific date has been announced. The streaming giant released a behind-the-scenes photo of season 6, which features Johnny, Daniel, and their karate students standing in the backyard of the Miyagi-Do dojo. Cobra Kai was also featured in Netflix’s sizzle reel for 2024.
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