Netflix's Cobra Kai To Conclude With Extended Three-Part Final Season
Get in a fighting stance, "Cobra Kai" fans: Netflix's most unlikely hit series is about to go out with a three-hit KO. The popular "Karate Kid" sequel series will bow out with its sixth and final season this summer as planned, but the streamer has just announced that the last chapter will actually be an extended three-part streaming event.
In keeping with Netflix's recent trend of experimenting with different release strategies, "Cobra Kai" will end with three five-episode drops that begin in July and won't end until next year. The first five episodes are due out over the summer, while the second installment is expected in November (with the third premiering on an as-yet-announced date in 2025).
Though another major Netflix show, "Stranger Things," previously had a bifurcated season due to special effects-heavy sequences that needed to cook a bit longer, shows like "Ozark" and "Bridgerton" have also tried the multi-pronged release model. The "Cobra Kai" split, in particular, seems to show a reluctance on the streamer's part to say goodbye to a shockingly popular series. The streaming giant nabbed the martial arts comedy-drama from YouTube Premium between its second and third seasons and it has frequently been one of the most-watched shows on Netflix since the move. A 2020 shareholder's report noted that 50 million households watched the first season of "Cobra Kai" alone in the first four weeks it spent on Netflix.
The Netflix hit may be timing its ending to the new Karate Kid movie
The new release schedule is set to make the season a hit for the streamer three times over, as part 2 drops on Thanksgiving and part 3 will likely align with the release of the latest "Karate Kid" movie. The movie — which stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio — was recently bumped from a 2024 release date to one on May 30, 2025, specifically so it could drop after the final episode of "Cobra Kai" aired. Who would've thought one of the '80s cheesiest franchises could spawn its own cinematic universe decades later?
The date announcement comes with a promo (seen at the top of this article) that shows plenty of action at Miyago-do Karate, along with some intense title cards that say "The end of a legacy deserves a grand finale." The official synopsis for season 6 is as follows:
"Picking up with Cobra Kai eliminated from the Valley, our senseis and students must decide if and how they will compete in the Sekai Taikai — the world championships of karate."
Hopefully, this widely spaced timeline will let the "Cobra Kai" audience cherish plenty of kickass moments. Plus, there's always a chance the actors from the upcoming movie, whose cast also includes Ben Wang, Joshua Jackson, and Ming-Na Wen, could make appearances. Personally, I'm still gunning for an Andrew Garfield cameo.
"Cobra Kai" returns for part 1 of season 6 on Netflix beginning July 18, 2024. Part 2 is due on November 28, 2024, with Part 3 arriving sometime in 2025.