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April is just around the corner, which means it’s time for another look at what movies and series will be departing the service throughout the month. This early look at what’s set to leave includes all the US departures planned throughout the month, with some Netflix Originals planned to depart in addition to the regular first-of-the-month rotation.

As a reminder, Netflix removes titles after their license period ends, which can range from just a month to several years. We should also note that Netflix removals are subject to change if renewals are worked out and that most of these movies will undoubtedly return to Netflix sometime in the future.

Per Netflix, “Whenever a TV show or movie license is expiring, we consider things such as: If the rights to the title are still available and/or how popular it is in a region, and...

Based in The Karate Kid universe, Cobra Kai has honored the original film series in many ways. Throughout its run, the show has brought back iconic characters and theme songs, such as Joe Esposito’s You’re the Best from the 1984 classic starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita.

Cobra Kai | Credit: Netflix

However, despite its strong emotional connection, the showrunners opted out when it came to the theme song from The Karate Kid Part II. Co-creator Jon Hurwitz recently explained the reason behind their decision, suggesting that it could have unnecessarily complicated the narrative for Macchio’s Daniel Larusso.

The Karate Kid Part II’s iconic theme song did not make it to Cobra Kai

Following the redemption story of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) from the original The Karate Kid movie, Cobra Kai enjoyed a successful six-season run before concluding earlier this year.

A still from Cobra Kai series finale...

This article contains spoilers for "Cobra Kai" Season 6 Part 3.

The best legacy sequels use familiar faces to attract franchise devotees while also introducing fresh characters to pull in a whole new generation. For six wild seasons of television, "Cobra Kai" managed to do just that, giving both the younger and older members of the "Karate Kid" property equal time to shine. There were, admittedly, moments when the show seemed in danger of sinking under the weight of all its callbacks and returning players. But "Cobra Kai" managed to push its legacy sequel inclinations to such extremes that it circled back around to being oddly endearing -- for the most part.

With each passing season, it also became apparent that pretty much any "Karate Kid" movie character, no matter how small, beloved or maligned, was fair game to return. Indeed, Thomas Ian Griffith's Terry Silver went from the slimy, over-the-top...

The past 15 years or so have been dominated by legacy sequels, movies that bring back beloved franchises with stories that land somewhere between a reboot, a sequel, and a remake. Out of the bunch, "Cobra Kai" is one of the best ones. From the moment the first season premiered on the defunct YouTube Red platform, "Cobra Kai" has managed to excel at being not only a continuation of Johnny Lawrence's (William Zabka) story on top of a reboot following a new generation of kids but also a rather good pseudo-remake of the original "Karate Kid" movies.

After all, the story of Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) heavily echoed that of Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) in the first film, but with a twist. Like Daniel, Miguel is a new kid in town who learns karate to defend himself from bullies and gain self-confidence, enters a tournament, and uses a crane kick to...

Tanner Buchanan and Mary Mouser shared some big news at the Cobra Kai series finale premiere held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on Wednesday night (February 12) in Los Angeles.

The two stars, who have been on the show since the beginning, revealed that they are engaged, and showed off both of their rings!

Keep reading to find out more…

“We’re so happy to finally share that we’re engaged. This is such a special moment in our lives, the closing of one chapter and celebrating the continuation of another. We’re so grateful for the love and support, and though we’re partial to having our private moments, we’re excited to share this check-in to our world...

With Cobra Kai officially concluding after a six-season run on Netflix, the Karate Kid universe is now set to expand further with the upcoming film, Karate Kid: Legends. Starring Ralph Macchio, the new movie connects to the 2010 reboot starring Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith.

Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan | Credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Despite its success, fans have been reluctant to accept the 2010 film as part of the franchise, primarily because it focuses on Kung Fu rather than Karate. However, Macchio recently addressed the concern and explained the historical connection between the two martial arts, helping to justify Mr. Han’s inclusion in the new Karate Kid movie.

Ralph Macchio explains Jackie Chan’s inclusion in the new Karate Kid movie

The Karate Kid franchise is expanding beyond the Netflix series Cobra Kai with the new film starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan alongside a newcomer Ben Wang.

Jackie Chan...

After Cobra Kai continued a tiresome franchise trend, Karate Kid: Legends will be looking to break new ground. The Karate Kid reboot is incredibly exciting for several reasons, most notably the film's main characters. Karate Kid: Legends' cast will unite Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan as two pillars of the live-action franchise come together to tell a new story in the universe after the ending of Cobra Kai in February 2025.

If the trailer for Karate Kid: Legends was anything to go by, it seems as though the upcoming movie will be very different from what has come before it. Gone is the self-aware, referential humor of the Cobra Kai TV show, instead replaced by a grounded, admittedly mature tone. The timeline of Karate Kid: Legends will remove it from Cobra Kai's overall story for the most part, but as a part of the same franchise, both will likely share several trends.

Long before Denzel Washington played the quietly lethal Robert McCall in the "Equalizer" movies, Edward Woodward portrayed the character on the original CBS TV series. "The Equalizer" aired on the network from 1985 to 1989 and starred Woodward as the retired intelligence agent who uses his skills to help bring justice to those who have been wronged in their day to day lives.

It's a remarkably durable formula that has not only birthed three Denzel-led movies (with fourth and fifth "Equalizer" movies already confirmed), but also a reboot series that stars Queen Latifah and which has run for five full seasons already. Each iteration of this franchise has brought something new to the table, but none of them could have existed without the original series from co-creators Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim.

There was lots to love about the '80s show, which took a simple premise and, with the help...

Although the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends won't serve as a direct sequel to Cobra Kai, the 2025 legacy sequel is still being passed the torch by the Netflix spinoff show in one very specific way. Although all five Karate Kid movies (six if Legends is considered) are now set within the same canon, the 2010 Karate Kid remake with Jack Chan is a fairly recent addition to the continuity, as it was originally a standalone project that was quite clearly a reimagining of the 1984 original. However, if it weren't for Cobra Kai, this aggressive retcon would never have happened.

Karate Kid: Legends' cast will be much smaller when compared with Cobra Kai. That being said, it's arguably just as exciting - if not more so. The movie will unite Ralph Macchio's Daniel Larusso and Jackie Chan's Mr. Han for the first time in franchise history - an occurrence that once would have been canonically incoherent.

Mr. Miyagi is an essential character within The Karate Kid universe, and his heartbreaking military backstory helped inform his mentor-like relationship with his protégé, Daniel Larusso. First introduced in the original The Karate Kid in 1984, Mr. Miyagi was expertly portrayed by Pat Morita in the original series and has continued to appear in archival footage in the sequel television show Cobra Kai. While Mr. Miyagi’s calm demeanor and defense-based martial arts wisdom have always guided Miyagi-Do students toward noble victory, his character’s stoic nature and deep philosophical wisdom were born from a traumatic backstory of loss, pain, and war.

While Mr. Miyagi was introduced in The Karate Kid as a simple, unassuming maintenance man, as the series progressed, his background fighting World War II and the heartbreaking fate of his family were further explored. Mr. Miyagi’s unorthodox “wax on, wax off” teaching practices turned the first movie...

The Karate Kid: Legends trailer offers a clearer picture of what's in store after the ending of Cobra Kai, and who plays a role in it. After a successful seven-year run, Cobra Kai will release part 3 of its final season on February 13, 2025. The epic showdown will be followed by the new Karate Kid movie, which comes out on May 30. So far, the Karate Kid: Legends cast suggests Ralph Macchio is the only actor from the popular Netflix series making a return, increasing speculation about how Cobra Kai might lead to the movie.

A big theory about Cobra Kai's ending believed it would bring revelations about Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi's past, ones which would then inform the movie. Notably, the direction of the show's latest episodes shed light on the connection between Kim Sum-Yung (C.S. Lee) and Chozen (Yuji Okumoto) — and, by extension, Miyagi. However, the movie's synopsis foreshadows...

The success of Cobra Kai and the upcoming sequel Karate Kid: Legends has reignited The Karate Kid franchise and sparked rumors about a prequel series focused on Mr. Miyagi. The creative team behind Cobra Kai has even expressed interest in exploring Mr. Miyagi’s backstory (via Hollywood Reporter), although this would mean recasting the late Pat Morita, who powerfully portrayed this martial arts master across the film series and in archival footage in Cobra Kai. While Morita’s performance would be a tough act to follow, several notable actors could pull it off.

While The Karate Kid has had some amazing characters, the Miyagiverse revolves primarily around one man: Mr. Miyagi. For this reason, a Mr. Miyagi prequel series has the potential to expand upon the lore of the franchise and address the missing gaps and lingering questions of his backstory. Audiences will know of Mr. Miyagi’s tragic circumstances,...

According to an intriguing Karate Kid: Legends theory, the franchise might have already answered how Jack Chan's Mr. Han and Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi are connected. Karate Kid: Legends' trailer is finally out and it seems to be the perfect follow-up to Netflix's Cobra Kai. While the two installments of the franchise only seem to have a few loose connective threads, with one of them being Ralph Macchio's Daniel Larusso, the movie perfectly sells itself as a worthy addition to the overarching Karate Kid franchise by featuring Larusso and Mr. Han in the same frame.

With two worlds colliding in the new movie, it is not surprising that it is trying to draw subtle connections with the original Karate Kid movies. However, despite this, one of the most fascinating moments in Karate Kid: Legends' trailer is when Daniel Larusso discovers that Mr. Han knew Mr. Miyagi.

The Karate Kid franchise has kept the audience hooked to the edge of their seats for several years now, with the last movie, The Karate Kid, being released in 2010. Now this universe is being further expanded with the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends bringing in several notable faces. The teaser for the same was also released recently and while fans loved the cinematic vision, they also pointed out that a key actor was notably missing from the trailer.

Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, and Ralph Macchio in a still from Karate Kid: Legends teaser | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

The actor is none other than William Zabka, who played Johnny Lawrence in the first Karate Kid movie released in 1984, and reprised the role in The Karate Kid Part II (1986). While he made a captivating return as his Karate kid character in the Netflix series Cobra Kai, him being missing in the Legends trailer has raised many eyebrows.

Karate Kid: Legends has a significant advantage over any of the other installments in the Karate Kid franchise, but it will still have to fight hard to prove itself. The upcoming movie, which is expected to hit theaters in May 2025, is a highly anticipated sequel to both 1984's The Karate Kid and its 2010 remake. Though the semantics of how these two stories will come together is still unclear, the union of Ralph Macchio's Daniel Larusso and Jackie Chan's Mr. Han is undoubtedly promising. Still, these two actors and their respective characters aren't all Karate Kid: Legends has going for it over its predecessors.

The Karate Kid franchise got its first movie in 1984, featuring Macchio's Daniel Larusso in the titular role. Then came The Karate Kid Part 2 in 1986 and The Karate Kid Part 3 in 1989, both of which featured Macchio and Pat Morita as the leads. In 1994, Morita...

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto) found a new love interest in Cobra Kai season 6, part 2, but his uncle, Sato Toguchi (Danny Kamekona), would have hated it. Sato and Chozen were both introduced in The Karate Kid Part II as enemies of Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) and Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio). However, both Sato and Chozen were redeemed. The elder Toguchi mended his ways at the end of The Karate Kid Part II, while Chozen emerged as a new man and a friend to Daniel-san in Cobra Kai season 3.

Cobra Kai season 6, part 1 ended with Chozen returning to Okinawa to win the heart of Kumiko (Tamlyn Tomita). But Chozen was crestfallen when it seemed Kumiko found a lover, so he joined Daniel and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) at the Sekai Taikai tournament in Barcelona, Spain. Chozen and Cobra Kai sensei Kim Da-Eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim...

With its dramatic Sekai Taikai tournament, the final three-part season of Netflix's martial arts comedy-drama "Cobra Kai" is proving to be a fittingly epic conclusion to the series. As it happens, however, the "Karate Kid" franchise may yet continue on the small screen once the dust settles. In fact, "Cobra Kai" creators and showrunners Hayden Schlossberg, Josh Heald, and Jon Hurwitz already have a lock on the character they want to explore next -- and in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, they revealed that it's none other than the series' centerpiece, Mr. Miyagi.

What's more, the trio has already started working towards the goal of a potential Miyagi prequel series by briefly digitally resurrecting "The Karate Kid" actor Pat Morita with AI on "Cobra Kai," in addition to dropping numerous clues that Miyagi's past might be far more complicated than his prize pupil Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) ever knew.

The new Karate Kid movie is all set to begin a new chapter in the overarching franchise, but it already seems to be repeating a Johnny Lawrence mistake that Cobra Kai fixed. Many conflicting details have been revealed about Karate Kid: Legends' timeline in the franchise, raising many questions about whether it will have anything to do with Cobra Kai's story developments. What is known is that Ralph Macchio will reprise his role as Daniel Larusso in the movie and star alongside Jackie Chan, who will play his original character, Mr. Han, from the 2010 Karate Kid film.

Ben Wang, of the Chang Can Dunk and American Born Chinese fame, has also been cast to play the main lead in the film. Even though the story details for the movie are still under wraps, it is hard not to eagerly anticipate its release because it features a highly anticipated collaboration between Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan.

Eight senseis have taught students Miyagi-Do karate in Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid movies. Along with Cobra Kai, Miyagi-Do is one of the two primary dojos in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai saga. Miyagi-Do is the form of karate taught and utilized by the franchise's heroes, starting with Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) and Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio), as well as Julie Barnes (Hilary Swank). Originating in Okinawa, Miyagi-Do is the Miyagi family's karate legacy emphasizing self-defense, spiritual enlightenment, and self-betterment.

Miyagi-Do is eternally remembered for the unusual methods that Mr. Miyagi used to train Daniel Larusso in The Karate Kid. Miyagi ordered Daniel-san to perform mundane chores like painting his fence, sanding his floor, and waxing his car. The confused Larusso was shocked to learn that those tasks taught him muscle memory to perform counters and blocks. Miyagi-Do is also famed for the crane technique Daniel-san used in The Karate Kid.

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2Cobra Kai season 6's revelations about Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita) in the Sekai Taikai gives new context to why Sato Toguchi (Danny Kamekona) called him a coward in The Karate Kid Part II. Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) was traumatized to discover that not only did Mr. Miyagi fight in the Sekai Taikai tournament, but he also killed his opponent. Daniel-san is now questioning everything he ever knew about his sensei, and Cobra Kai also tacitly adds a wrinkle to how Sato viewed Miyagi in The Karate Kid Part II.

Primarily set in Okinawa, The Karate Kid Part II introduced Sato Toguchi as Mr. Miyagi's childhood friend-turned-enemy, as well as his nephew, Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto), who became Daniel Larusso's rival. Miyagi and Sato were best friends who were trained in Miyagi-Do karate by Miyagi's father (Charlie Tanimoto). But both Sato and Miyagi...

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai Season 6, Part 2Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 ending with a tragic death is the fate that The Karate Kid Part II spared Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto). Cobra Kai's team captain Kwon Jae-Sung (Brandon H. Lee) fatally impaled himself on a knife he meant to use on the Iron Dragons' captain, Axel Kovaevi (Patrick Luwis). Much of Kwon's villainous character and behavior echoed Chozen in The Karate Kid Part II, but Cobra Kai pushed things further than The Karate Kid movies.

Chozen Toguchi was Daniel Larusso's (Ralph Macchio) rival in The Karate Kid Part II, which was primarily set in Okinawa. Chozen was the arrogant, cruel, and spiteful nephew of Sato Toguchi (Danny Kamekona), the former best friend-turned-enemy of Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita). Introduced in Cobra Kai season 6, part 1, Kwon Jae-Sung was reminiscent of the younger Chozen. Like Toguchi, Kwon was obnoxious, self-important, and followed...

Beyond the action, the horrendously poorly portrayed rules of karate, and the memorable quotes and characters, the "Karate Kid" franchise has always had time for romance. From the very start, this franchise has been built on unlikely romances, whether it's Ralph Macchio's scrawny new kid Daniel Larusso going after rich, popular girl Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue) in the first film or immediately leaving Ali for a summer romance during a trip to Japan with Kumiko in "The Karate Kid Part II."

Likewise, the legacy sequel TV series "Cobra Kai" has romance built into its DNA. The show —— which is the closest to a full-on live-action sports anime and is set in a world of heightened stakes where everything revolves around karate — has explored romances for both the many new kids on the block and their senseis — with Johnny Lawrence's arc from jerk to a legit good partner being a highlight of the series.

There's good news and bad news for Cobra Kai fans as no season 7 is set to happen. But, Cobra Kai season 6 part 3 promises to be a blast!

When do the final episodes of Cobra Kai come out?

As noted, the show sadly is not getting a seventh season, with the producers believing that six seasons is enough for the story. When the sixth season was renewed back in January 2023, Netflix announced it would be the final season. The 15-episode season was split into three parts, and we can expect the conclusion soon in 2025.

For those wondering, the final five episodes will drop on Netflix on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. They're expected to bring the story to a major close, with producer Hayden Schlossberg offering a nice comparison to a famous movie trilogy in speaking with Entertainment Weekly.

"We knew the middle block of these three parts would be like The Empire Strikes Back...

This article contains spoilers for "Cobra Kai" season 6.

We're nearing the end of "Cobra Kai," the little legacy sequel series that survived an entire streamer shutting down to become one of the best shows Netflix is producing. The first part of the sixth and final season delivered a good calm before the storm (read our review here), mostly focusing on settling the different character rivalries — particularly Samantha and Tory, and Miguel and Robby. At the same time, preparations were underway for the Seikai Taikai, including a fun mini-tournament to see who would go to Barcelona to represent team Miyagi-Do.

Perhaps the biggest idea introduced in the first part of the season involved Mr. Miyagi. The character played by Pat Morita in the original films, Miyagi's legacy has long loomed large over Daniel Larusso and "Cobra Kai." The first part of season 6 spent a good amount of time with Daniel reckoning...

The new TV shows and movies arriving on Netflix in October 2024 see the streaming platform offering a plethora of titles across a diverse range of genres. Netflix emerged as one of the first major streaming services, helping to reshape how people watch content. From there, their library grew to include Netflix Original programming as well as many licensed movies and TV shows. With an already extensive library of content, Netflix is adding new titles each month with some highly-anticipated new additions in October 2024.

September 2024 was a big month for Netflix, marked by some talked-about original content. The Perfect Couple emerged as the latest engrossing murder mystery series while the thriller Rebel Ridge became a surprise hit for Netflix. October 2024 is another exciting month for Netflix users, with a number of popular shows returning with new seasons, like Outer Banks, Heartstopper, and The Diplomat, providing a wide variety of viewing options for Netflix users.

Chad McQueen, known for his iconic role as Dutch in The Karate Kid film series and as the son of legendary actor Steve McQueen, passed away on Wednesday, September 11.

He passed away at his ranch in Palm Desert, California.

According to Variety, McQueen, 63, reportedly died from complications stemming from an injury that led to organ failure.

Per the report, he was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.

McQueen’s wife, Jeanie, and two of his children, Chase and Madison, released a statement expressing their grief:

The statement reads, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father, Chad McQueen. His remarkable journey as a loving father and devoted husband truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication.”

They emphasized how his passion for racing honored his father’s legacy and instilled valuable lessons in them, which they will carry on​.

Chad...

Chad McQueen, who followed his father, Steve McQueen, into acting and auto racing and portrayed the bully Dutch in the first two Karate Kid movies, has died. He was 63.

McQueen died Wednesday of organ failure at his ranch in Palm Desert, his friend of 40 years, Arthur Barens, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had been injured in a fall in 2020 and never fully recovered.

In a statement on Instagram, his children Chase and Madison wrote:

“His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication. His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him.

“He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us, and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfather’s as well.

Chad McQueen, best known for playing Dutch in The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid Part II, has died at the age of 63. He’s also the son of Steve McQueen, the legendary actor who starred in The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, Bullitt, and more.

In a statement to Variety, Chad’s wife, Jeanie, and his children, Chase and Madison, said, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father, Chad McQueen. His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication. His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him. He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us, and we will continue not only...

Chad McQueen, son of the legendary actor Steve McQueen who played “Dutch” in “The Karate Kid” film series, died Wednesday in Palm Springs. He was 63.

His wife Jeanie and his children Chase and Madison said in a statement to Variety, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our father, Chad McQueen. His remarkable journey as a loving father to us, along with his unwavering commitment to our mother, truly exemplified a life filled with love and dedication,” reads the statement. “His passion for racing not only highlighted his exceptional talent but also served as a way to honor his father’s legacy, a testament to the values instilled in him.”

It continues: “He passed his passion, knowledge and dedication down to us, and we will continue not only his legacy but our grandfather’s as well. As a family, we need to navigate this difficult time,...

Ralph Macchio started his journey in the Karate Kid franchise playing teenage underdog Daniel Larusso, but both character and actor have come a long way since then. The original movie was released in 1984, and at the time, no one knew what it would grow into. The Karate Kid Part II and The Karate Kid Part III were released in the following years, and then, decades later, the spin-off series Cobra Kai brought this franchise back into the limelight. This means The Karate Kid has been a massive part of Macchio's life, and he's celebrated many birthdays on the sets of the films and Netflix series.

As a character, Daniel is the perfect underdog. Young and a little reckless, his heart of gold always winds up leading the way (with a bit of help from Mr. Miyagi). He proved himself a true hero and inspiration again and again in the Karate Kid movies,...

John Carpenter's 1986 action-comedy "Big Trouble in Little China" is an odd duck. The plot involves an ancient wizard named Lo Pan (James Hong) who aims to kidnap, marry, and then sacrifice a green-eyed woman to break a curse he is under. The woman in question is Miao Yin (Suzee Pai), the fiancée of Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), who, fortunately, knows a little bit about evil wizards and ancient Chinese warriors. It will be up to Wang to rescue Miao Yin from Lo Pan. Also kidnapped is the green-eyed Gracie (Kim Cattrall), beloved by the dumb-as-rocks blowhard Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), essentially Wang's sidekick.

The gag of the movie is that Jack doesn't really seem to understand that he's a sidekick, and behaves like the action hero. Indeed, the whole movie seems to be a martial arts movie told from the perspective of the American guest star. Russell was featured...

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6 part 1

Chozen's strength surpasses his uncle Sato in Cobra Kai, showcasing his growth as a martial artist. Sato was one of The Karate Kid's best fighters, known for his skill despite never fighting onscreen. While Chozen may be close to Mr. Miyagi's level, there is still no evidence he could defeat him in a fight.

Based on a key scene in Cobra Kai season 6 part 1, Chozen has surpassed one of The Karate Kid franchise's best fighters. It's been evident since season 3 that Chozen Toguchi is near the top of the list when it comes to the most talented martial artists in The Karate Kid's world. After all, he beat Daniel Larusso with relative ease.

His reputation was solidified shortly after his return to the series. Chozen proved his worth once again when he promptly took down a handful of karate instructors.

Chozen's mysterious disappearance in Cobra Kai season 6 may lead to unraveling Mr. Miyagi's hidden secrets. Chozen's ties to Sato and Kumiko could reveal shocking truths about Mr. Miyagi's past and Cobra Kai connections. The storyline hints at a potential bombshell involving Kim Sun-Yung, Sato, and Mr. Miyagi's intertwined history.

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6 part 1

Though Chozen Toguchi has left the Valley, The Karate Kid Part II villain could be the key to figuring out the mystery about Mr. Miyagi when Cobra Kai returns. Somewhat abruptly, Chozen took a step back from the story, disappearing after the ending of episode 3. Apparently, he's gone back to Okinawa to see Kumiko, leaving his role in the Sekai Taikai tournament and the wider narrative in question.

Absent in both the fourth and fifth episodes, Chozen wasn't in the company of Johnny and Daniel's Miyagi-do dojo when they arrived at the tournament in Barcelona.

Kim Sun-Yung is alive in The Karate Kid timeline, setting up a clash with Chozen and making him a key villain in Cobra Kai season 6. Master Kim's history with Chozen's uncle Sato could lead to a showdown between Chozen and Kreese, representing a second-generation rivalry. An eventual clash between Chozen and Master Kim seems imminent, possibly leading to a fight with Kreese over honor and loyalty.

Warning: Spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6

A scene in Cobra Kai season 5 quietly set the stage for Kim Sun-Yung to be at odds with Chozen in the show's final season. In what was one of Cobra Kai season 6's biggest surprises, it was confirmed that Kim Sun-Yung is still alive in The Karate Kid timeline. Renowned as the fighter who trained John Kreese and Terry Silver, Master Kim looks set to be one of Cobra Kai's final villains - if not the show's ultimate antagonist.

Warning! This post contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6, part 1.

Cobra Kai season 6 subtly hints at Hilary Swank's possible cameo, setting up intrigue for future episodes. The Next Karate Kid nod in Cobra Kai season 6 adds mystery to Mr. Miyagi's past and potential plot twists. Daniel's quest for answers could lead him to Hilary Swank's character, Julie Pierce, bridging old and new storylines.

Cobra Kai season 6 has not featured any big cameos, but its subtle reference to The Next Karate Kid seemingly paves the way for Hilary Swank's appearance in its future installments. After each subsequent Karate Kid movie sequel gave diminishing returns, the franchise released a reboot titled The Next Karate Kid, starring Hilary Swank as its lead. Playing Julie Pierce, Hilary Swank portrayed a traumatized young girl in the Karate Kid movie who, like Daniel Larusso, found solace and strength through Mr. Miyagi's profound karate lessons and philosophies.

Cobra Kai is going out with a bang as the first half of The Karate Kid sequel’s final season climbs the Netflix TV charts to claim the top spot. The first five episodes of the anticipated sixth season debuted on the streamer on July 18, immediately claiming the crown with tons of viewers returning for more martial arts drama. The opening gambit for Cobra Kai Season 6 hit hard and fast with 14.8 million views in its first four days on the Netflix Top 10 for July 15-21, and another five episodes will launch on November 15. A final presentation of the series will be unleashed sometime in 2025, with whispers of other Cobra Kai projects in development.

Vikings: Valhalla Season 3 buried an ax in the second spot with 6.4 million views, while the Simone Biles Rising documentary flawlessly landed in the third position with 4.7 million views. With the Paris Olympics beginning next week, people will...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Cobra Kai season 6.

Mr. Miyagi's past at the Sekai Taikai both answers and presents new questions about his beliefs in The Karate Kid. The bloody headband hints at a dark event in Mr. Miyagi's tournament past, explaining his dislike for competitions. The discovery of Miyagi's hidden chest raises questions about his past, setting up a mysterious season 6 conclusion.

Cobra Kai season 6's big Mr. Miyagi twist finally answers a 38-year-old The Karate Kid question. As the final season of the Netflix series, it's no surprise Mr. Miyagi's story has been pulled back into the spotlight. Cobra Kai season 6, part 1, came with a lot of big reveals about the sage sensei, and the final twist leading into the Sekai Taikai connects to a significant Karate Kid detail. It's precisely this kind of connective tissue between the TV spinoff and the original 1980s movie...

The Karate Kid Part 3 still remains a point of contention for the masses. The original Karate Kid is a beloved classic, and the sequel, The Karate Kid Part 2, managed to capture much of its charm. However, the same cannot be said about the third installment, which felt like the black sheep of the trilogy.

Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in The Karate Kid Part II (1986) || Columbia Pictures

Adding to this sentiment among the fans is Ralph Macchio, the actor behind the lead character, Daniel Larusso. But despite him not being a fan of the movie, he acknowledged that it played a major role in shaping the storyline of the hit series Cobra Kai.

Ralph Macchio Revealed How The Karate Kid, Part 3 helped in the storyline of Cobra Kai Ralph Macchio in Cobra Kai (2018) || Netflix

The story of The Karate Kid revolves around Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio), a bullied teenager who,...

This article contains spoilers for "Cobra Kai" season 6.

The specter of Mr. Miyagi has always loomed large over "Cobra Kai." The TV sequel to the "Karate Kid" movies takes place 40 years after the events of the 1984 original, focusing on Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) teaching a new generation of kids about karate.

From the beginning, the show followed the original film's themes of the bond between teachers and students and the influence the former hold over the latter. We see this in both the trauma Johnny tries to overcome from his years under Kreese, but also how much Daniel has put Mr. Miyagi up on a pedestal. Really, every aspect of Daniel's life, from his personality to his values, are all shaped by Miyagi's teachings. His car dealership's logo is a bonsai tree and his dojo is at Miyagi's old house, which Daniel inherited from his sensei.

Cobra Kai's epic battles in season 5 set a high bar that season 6 may struggle to surpass. Chozen vs. Silver was the standout fight, showcasing intense martial arts choreography. The Sekai Taikai tournament in season 6 faces the challenge of matching the intensity of previous battles.

Cobra Kai already set the bar pretty high with the most badass fight of the series, and I can't see how season 6 could possibly top it. The Karate Kid spinoff show has taken the many battles of the movie franchise to a different level, with dozens of high-intensity fights between various characters. Cobra Kai season 5 was especially impressive, with fights between some of the most iconic characters of The Karate Kid. However, there's still one more season before the end, and taking the bar any higher may be challenging.

The end of Cobra Kai season 5 saw all hell break loose as Johnny Lawrence, Mike Barnes, and...

The Karate Kid franchise started with a simple movie that became a huge success and led to sequels, a remake, and a spinoff TV show. Two attempts to reinvent the franchise with new characters like Julie Pierce and Dre Parker were not as successful, but still showed interest. Cobra Kai, a spinoff series, has been highly praised for continuing the original story with fleshed-out characters, making the franchise even more special.

It's now been 40 years since the first The Karate Kid movie premiered, and after all these years, The Karate Kid franchise is bigger than I ever thought that it would be. Despite the concept of The Karate Kid franchise being pretty simple, the original film's massive success proved to be the start of a huge franchise, with the classic 1984 film getting all kinds of sequels and spinoffs. Four decades after the release of The Karate Kid, there is still...

Parenting is one of the toughest challenges any human being could face; now imagine the infant is bigger than a house and can shoot lasers out of their eyes. This chaos is only a portion of what the characters in Ultraman: Rising face and Tokyo will never be the same. Here to talk about the hardships of Kaiju parenting are the directors of Ultraman: Rising, Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima, and featured members of the cast, Tamlyn Tomita, Gedde Watanabe, and Christopher Sean.

During our time with the cast and creators of Ultraman: Rising, we delved deep into everyone’s Ultraman history to determine if they felt pressure to honor the beloved superhero’s legacy. We also discuss the wonders of parenting and how you don’t need to have kids to act like a guardian to someone or something. The actors also share valuable lessons they learned while making...

“Wax on, wax off.”

This classic line from The Karate Kid is ingrained in our minds as the epitome of cinematic martial arts lessons. It captures the elfin broken English of Mr. Miyagi in all his humble and quirky charm. Miyagi won our hearts as the kindly sensei, and the role earned Noriyuki “Pat” Morita (1932-2005) a nomination for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. But did you know that Mr. Miyagi was based on a real person? Actually, he was based on three people, all famous karate masters. Here are their stories.

The Legendary Grandmasters of Karate

Mr. Miyagi gets his name from Grandmaster Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953), the founder of an Okinawan style of karate called Goju-Ryu. Goju means “hard-soft,” and Ryu in this context means “school”. Goju-Ryu is still a popular style of karate, practiced worldwide to this day.

“It’s no coincidence that when Hollywood was looking to create the archetypal karate master,...

Cobra Kai's redemption stories continue, with characters like Chozen and Mike Barnes showing real regrets for past actions. Kyler's unexpected inclusion in Johnny and Daniel's dojo hints at a potential plot twist in Cobra Kai season 6. Despite his new alliance, Kyler shouldn't be trusted due to his history of causing trouble, leaving room for betrayal.

Cobra Kai seems to be teasing yet another redemption story, one that would arguably be it's most surprising yet. During its run, Cobra Kai has succeeded in turning multiple villains into trustworthy allies of the main characters. Even Chozen, who almost became a murderer in The Karate Kid Part II, is now counted as a friend to Daniel. Something similar can be said of Mike Barnes, who appeared to be devoid of likable qualities in The Karate Kid Part III, but was presented as a furniture store owner with real regrets about his actions...

Cobra Kai may finally settle the Johnny vs. Daniel debate in season 6 with a potential showdown between Johnny and Chozen. The show hints at a possible Johnny vs. Daniel rematch in the trailer, but the outcome remains uncertain for the former rivals. Even if Johnny's fight with Chozen determines the better fighter, Cobra Kai could still avoid a showdown between Johnny and Daniel to stay consistent.

A reveal in the Cobra Kai season 6 trailer offers a way for the show to settle the Johnny vs. Daniel debate, even without a proper rematch. Though Daniel beat Johnny in The Karate Kid, Cobra Kai has been notably more ambiguous when it comes to comparisons between the characters' fighting skills. The two have fought on more than one occasion in the Netflix sequel series, but none of these rematches outright proved one was superior to the other.

Their most recent fight, occurring in...

The Karate Kid franchise has maintained its legacy over the years, and the original film is a cult classic among fans. The success of the first film led to three sequels The Karate Kid Part II, The Karate Kid Part III, and The Next Karate Kid. While the sequels did not receive as well as the original, the 2020 remake of the original starring Jackie Chan was loved by fans.

Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in 1984’s The Karate Kid

Ralph Macchio, the lead star of the original films returned in the sequel series Cobra Kai, continuing the story of his character Daniel Larusso. Chan and Macchio now coming together for a new Karate Kid film. A recent post from Sony teased the start of production with the reveal of the new logo and one detail proves that the film will have a similarly edgy tone to the Cobra Kai series.

Top 5 rivalries among characters in Cobra Kai. (Photo Credit – IMDb)

Cobra Kai hit the screens in 2018, kicking off its initial seasons on YouTube Red in May 2018 and April 2019. With YouTube halting scripted original content production, Netflix took the reins, acquiring the series in June 2020.

Cobra Kai spins a gripping yarn of trust, resilience, and fierce rivalries among dojo members. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka step into the spotlight, reprising their iconic characters as Daniel Larusso and Johnny Lawrence, first introduced in the 1984 film The Karate Kid and its sequels, The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989).

The spin-off series is set thirty-four years after his defeat by Daniel Larusso in the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament, with Johnny Lawrence, now in his 50s, grappling with alcoholism and depression. Working part-time as a handyman, he resides in a Reseda apartment, far removed from his affluent upbringing in Encino. His son,...

Cobra Kai series co-creator Jon Hurwitz says that the series expands the Karate Kid universe. Hurwitz says that Cobra Kai season 6 expands Karate Kid universe more than first 5 seasons combined. The Karate Kid universe has been active recently, with a new film set to come out this year.

Cobra Kai’s Jon Hurwitz explains how season 6 will relate to the wider universe of The Karate Kid. Hurwitz is the co-creator of Cobra Kai along with Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg. The series has been running since 2018, and currently has five seasons available to stream on Netflix. Cobra Kai season 6 is slated for release this year.

Now, Hurwitz comments on how Cobra Kai season 6 will expand the universe of The Karate Kid. The creator took to social media to respond to a comment wondering if one can “expect more lore of Kreese and Silver in season 6.” In response, Hurwitz said that...

Cobra Kai pays homage to The Karate Kid with subtle callbacks, episode titles, and character references throughout the series. Easter eggs include episode titles linked to iconic movie moments and training techniques inspired by past villains in The Karate Kid franchise. The series cleverly incorporates familiar songs and props from The Karate Kid, creating a nostalgic and interconnected viewing experience.

One of the best things about watching Cobra Kai is all the nostalgic callbacks to The Karate Kid, but some of these references are a little harder to spot. The Netflix series picked up 30 years after the events of the classic 1984 movie, and though following the old Karate Kid villain as Cobra Kai's protagonist was quite a shift, the series never forgot where it came from. There were frequent references to all three of the franchise's original movies. Some of these were impossible to miss, while others required some solid...

The number of actors the Netflix TV series Cobra Kai has brought back to reprise their characters from the Karate Kid films has been very impressive. Not only do you have Ralph Macchio and William Zabka back as Daniel Larusso and Johnny Lawrence, but there’s also Martin Kove and Thomas Ian Griffith as villains John Kreese and Terry Silver, Yuji Okumoto and Sean Kanan as villains-turned-allies Chozen Toguchi and Mike Barnes; Ron Thomas, Rob Garrison, and Tony O’Dell as Johnny’s former Cobra Kai buddies; and appearances by Elisabeth Shue as Ali Mills, Tamlyn Tomita as Kumiko, and Robyn Lively as Jessica Andrews. They even brought Traci Toguchi back as Yuna, the “Girl Bell Ringer” she played in The Karate Kid Part II. But one actor who might not be returning from the films is Hilary Swank, who played Julie Pierce in the 1994 film The Next Karate Kid.

Daniel,...