It probably wouldn’t be contentious to say there are too many spinoffs in the world. Some are genuinely great, like Netflix’s Queen Charlotte and Prime Video’s Gen V. Others miss the point entirely, with The Continental and Dune: Prophecy failing to match the heights of their respective movie series.
It says a lot about the power of the IP that spinoffs of spinoffs are a thing too: George and Mandy’s First Marriage, Andor, etc. But the rise of streaming has also created an environment where major franchises are spawning spinoffs en masse: The Walking Dead, Yellowstone, Star Trek, the list goes on. Despite the abundance of spinoffs in the world right now, however, there’s room for one more.
Cobra Kai Just Gets Better And Better Since Ending In 2025
Starting life on YouTube before switching to Netflix and hitting even greater heights, Cobra Kai is a shining example of a spinoff done right. Not only does the series strike the right note between honoring Karate Kid and doing its own thing, it finds a perfect blend of nostalgia and progression. Mr. Miyagi would be proud of the balance, but even more impressive is how consistent Cobra Kai remained across its six-season run.
Cobra Kai came to an end with its sixth season in February 2025, the finale largely attracting acclaim from audiences and critics. Since then, Cobra Kai’s standing in popular culture has only increased. Karate Kid: Legends hit theaters only a few months after the TV series concluded, but even a returning Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso couldn’t save it from a lukewarm reception.
Karate Kid: Legends highlighted how good Cobra Kai really was at expanding the ’80s franchise, while the movie’s refusal to acknowledge Cobra Kai as canon exposed just how strongly audiences are attached to the likes of Miguel Diaz and Tory Nichols.
Karate Kid: Legends proves that all the Cobra Kai love between 2018 and 2025 wasn’t just fondly remembering Karate Kid through rose-tinted glasses. Cobra Kai made continuing the story look easy, but Karate Kid: Legends allows us to fully appreciate the huge challenge the TV series overcame.
Cobra Kai Needs A Spinoff More Than Karate Kid Needs Another Movie
Kenny, Devon and Anthony in Cobra Kai.
Cobra Kai’s biggest fault throughout its six-season run was often having more characters than it knew what to do with. This meant a handful of key players getting sidelined, especially in the final season where focus was reserved for Cobra Kai’s core cast members. The flip side, of course, is that Cobra Kai now has plenty of room for spinoffs to tell stories the main series couldn’t.
There’s scope for a “next generation” spinoff centering around the likes of Kenny Payne, Devon Lee, and Anthony LaRusso. Cobra Kai has already positioned Kenny and Anthony as the new Johnny and Daniel, after all. Cobra Kai’s final season revealed some skeletons in Mr. Miyagi’s closet, and those secrets could potentially lead into the long-rumored Mr. Migayi prequel series. A Cobra Kai spinoff could even focus on a different group altogether. Sensei Wolf’s Iron Dragons dojo is still brimming with untapped potential.
If nothing further materializes, Cobra Kai can rest assured its legacy will only get stronger over time. But if the Karate Kid franchise does live on, a Cobra Kai spinoff on Netflix feels like a more attractive option than another misguided movie.
Release Date
2018 – 2025-00-00
Network
Netflix, YouTube Premium
Showrunner
Jon Hurwitz
