Cobra Kai season 4: release date, cast, story, and everything else we know so far
Cobra Kai season 4 has wrapped filming and is headed to Netflix later this year. There might not be a trailer just yet, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty of information out there about the new season to get us excited. For one thing, there are familiar faces from the original Karate Kid franchise returning, as well as new cast members.
We've rounded up everything there is to know about the new season so far, including casting and plot details, and also the lowdown on whether this will be the final season of the hit series. The co-creators have also been talking about season 4 lately, and we've got their comments on what to expect from the next installment, too. Plus, there's Ralph Macchio and William Zabka discussing the new dynamic between their characters. So, without further ado, scroll on to check out everything we know about Cobra Kai season 4 so far.
Cobra Kai season 4 release date: Q4 2021
Officially, there isn’t a Cobra Kai season 4 release date – but that doesn’t mean we have no idea about when it’ll land on Netflix, especially now filming has finished.
Creator Jon Hurwitz said on Twitter that he “would imagine Season 4 will come out roughly a year after Season 3.”
Netflix has zeroed in further, saying we'll get Cobra Kai S4 in Q4 2021. That means it's coming between between October 2021-December 2021. Our best guess? Expect December, going by Hurwitz's comments. Cobra Kai's third season, you may remember, aired on New Year's Day.
Cobra Kai season 4 cast: will Ali and Aisha return?
Cobra Kai wouldn’t be Cobra Kai without the eternal sparring (verbal or otherwise) between Daniel LaRusso and his long-time rival, Johnny Lawrence. So, expect Ralph Macchio and William Zabka to return.
Similarly, it’d be a huge surprise to see Xolo Mariduena (Miguel), Mary Mouser (Sam), Tanner Buchanan (Robby), Jacob Bertrand (Hawk), Peyton List (Tory), and Martin Kove (Kreese), given how the third season ended. List and Vanessa Rubio (Carmen) have been upgraded to series regulars, while Dallas Dupree Young and Oona O'Brien will be joining the Cobra Kai season 4 cast.
Netflix has also confirmed that Terry Silver actor Thomas Ian Griffith is back for the fourth season. Given how the third season ended, The Karate Kid Part 3 villain is bound to have a major role to play.
Meanwhile, much has been made about Aisha being MIA during the events of the third season. Nichole Brown, who played the character, announced on Instagram she wouldn’t be back for the third season. But that might not be the end for the character.
Creator Jon Hurwitz told Pop Sugar: “We love that character, and perhaps we'll see her again one day.”
And what of Ali? Elisabeth Shue returned as Daniel and Johnny’s former flame. The door is very much left wide open for her to stick around, depending on how the creators shape the upcoming story.
Executive producer Hayden Schlossberg exclusively told GamesRadar+: “When we were creating her character, we were thinking about all the different possibilities of where that character could go. You learn that, you know, she’s single, and she has kids of her own. That is now out into the universe, and people can take that and run with it, and maybe we’ll do something with it. Maybe we won’t. And that’s part of the fun of the show.”
Cobra Kai season 4 story: what will happen in the new season?
More than any other season prior, Cobra Kai season 4 has the majority of its upcoming story mapped out well in advance. So we have a good idea of what to expect between the Eagle Fang, Miyagi-do, and Cobra Kai dojos respectively.
That’s because all the pieces on the board have moved into place for a grandstand finish; all eyes are on the U18 All Valley Karate Tournament.
The setup? On one side, Kreese. On the other, Johnny and Daniel in their newly-formed dojo combining Miyagi-do and Eagle Fang. Whichever dojo wins the tournament, the other must disband for good.
So, that appears to be the general outline for the upcoming season, but it could get far more complicated than that. Hawk, it appears, is back on the side of the (karate) angels and fighting the good fight, while Robby is now by Kreese’s side – and could be one of the major villains of season 4 alongside Peyton List’s ruthless Tory.
Then, there’s the small matter of who Kreese is calling during the final moments of the third season. It should be Terry Silver, the main villain from Karate Kid Part 3 and someone he served time with in Vietnam. If the moneybags is back in Reseda, it could spell trouble for Daniel and Johnny – and a vast expansion of Cobra Kai.
"What I'm most looking forward to in the Daniel/Johnny team up is the challenge. Navigating their varied personalities and stubborn mindsets as they work toward the same endgame," Ralph Macchio told Deadline. "Their history is nuanced and multi-layered. They are wired so differently even though their intentions are aligned. Billy and I love diving into the friendship as well as the rivalry. This is what [executive producer] Hayden Schlossberg has always called the Ross and Rachel element of our show. It makes for great comedy as well as heightened drama within Season 4."
Added William Zabka: "I was thrilled Johnny and Daniel found common ground and aligned themselves at the end of Season 3. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." It's a great note and launching point for all that’s ahead in the story."
Expansion is the name of the game for director Josh Heald, who told Yahoo's Paley Front Row Panel: "We want to make sure we’re delivering on goosebumps, on tears, on belly laughs, and fist bumps."
"It’s the same recipe with different tastes and everything else, but it’s even bigger so we’re really, really proud of what we’re making so far. I can’t wait for you to see what everybody’s doing."
Heald also shared with Deadline: "We have never been prouder of a season that we've put in the can. We've seen it and we know we've got the goods. We cannot wait for the fans of this franchise to see everything we did this season knowing everything we went through to put that into place. It's an amazing memory we'll all have knowing that it was a battle and we won." It sounds like we're in for a treat, then.
It seems the new season will be an interesting one for two characters in particular. "Sam and Tory are two of our favorite characters in the series and their rivalry is a fresh one that certainly cuts to the core for both of them," co-creator Jon Hurwitz commented. "We're eager for people to see how it plays out in Season 4 because there's certainly no love lost between those two at the end of Season 3 and there's a lot more between them going forward. We think it's a very special season for both those characters."
As for Thomas Ian Griffith's return, Schlossberg said: "For now we'll say we’ve been looking forward to working with Thomas Ian Griffith for a long time and we were very patient with ourselves to find the right moment, and Season 4 is that moment."
Beyond Cobra Kai season 4: is it the final season?
If the creators have their way, Cobra Kai season 4 won't be the final season, merely a stop on the way to the endgame.
“We have an endgame in our heads. We’ve had one for quite some time, and it’s not in season 4,” executive producer Josh Heald told TVLine. “It’s well beyond that. In our minds, we have seasons’ worth of story that is necessary to tell before we get to that endgame. That will be a discussion going forward with our new partners at Netflix. Can we write to that endgame? Can we know that it’s coming?”
Of course, that's all up to Netflix. But, given the show's success, we can see it carrying on for a couple more seasons at the very least.
Cobra Kai season 4 trailer: when can we expect one?
The short answer: not for a while. Netflix usually release teasers and trailers when filming has wrapped and plans are in place for it to start streaming. That shouldn’t be any different for Cobra Kai season 4.
For a point of reference, two of Netflix’s biggest recent originals – The Queen’s Gambit and Bridgerton – didn’t have full trailers released until the month prior to streaming. So, expect a full look at Cobra Kai season 4 by September 2021 at the earliest. For now, this set photo from Johnny's actor William Zabka will have to make do.
After 3 1/2 months of production, I’m proud to say #CobraKaiSeason4 is officially wrapped! “Ready???! LET’S BEGIN!”#sentfrommysmartphone🦅 pic.twitter.com/1aX3Hj247OMay 1, 2021
In the meantime, make sure to catch up on everything we know about one of Netflix's other huge shows, The Witcher season 2.
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