Cobra Kai Season 5: Release Date, Cast, And More

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Originally created for YouTube Red, "Cobra Kai" has turned into one of Netflix's most popular shows. The streamer picked it up after it was dropped by its original home after season 2 and at this point, the series has now had a longer run (and an arguably more successful one, garnering an Emmy nomination in 2021) at Netflix than it did on YouTube Red.

With the much-anticipated next season of the show set to hit the service in a few short months, we're here to tell you everything you might want to know about season 5 of the "Karate Kid" spin-off series.

"Cobra Kai" will return to Netflix on September 9, 2022. Originally premiering on YouTube Red in 2018, the show has been consistent in its output — generally releasing a new season during each calendar year. This year, we're getting a new season three months earlier than we did in 2021. Particularly during the past few years, "Cobra Kai" has served as a comforting salve during times of strife and division, so a rewatch may be in order while we wait for the next dose.

A lot has happened in the preceding four seasons of "Cobra Kai," but the basic rundown goes like this:

Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) have continued to foster a bitter rivalry in the 34 years since the last "Karate Kid" installment that featured the two foes. Johnny is a part-time handyman who has hit rock bottom, struggling with alcohol and depression. As a result of his addiction, he's become estranged from his only son, Robby (Tanner Buchanan). However, his life finds new purpose when he uses karate to defend his troubled teenage neighbor Miguel (Xolo Maridueña). Though he refuses at first, he eventually takes Miguel under his wing and begins training him in karate, inspiring him to re-open the Cobra Kai dojo. Daniel, meanwhile, has become the owner of a successful chain of car dealerships in the San Fernando Valley. When he hears of Cobra Kai's re-opening, it re-sparks his animosity toward Johnny — a rivalry that overwhelmingly drives the show's narrative.

In season 4, however, Daniel and Johnny strategically shelved their ongoing conflict in order to band together and defeat Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), the villain from "The Karate Kid Part III" who returns with a vengeance  — with plans to repossess Cobra Kai and turn it into a chain of dojos in the valley. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out so well for our protagonists. 

One of the fan-favorite elements of "Cobra Kai" is the fact that it brings back characters from the original "Miyagi-Verse," which is essentially comprised of the first four films in the franchise (so no, no one from the 2010 reboot "The Karate Kid" will be returning, per a 2021 S/Film interview with the series creators). So far, "Cobra Kai" has brought back a character from each film during each new season, with Terry Silver being the big recurring character in season 4.

This means that season 5 will likely bring back someone from 1994's "The Next Karate Kid," which starred Hilary Swank as Julie Piece, the latest star-pupil of Mr. Miyagi. It would be both impressive and logical for Julie to make a return in the series, but nothing has been officially confirmed or denied about Swank's potential involvement.

What season 5 will feature, however, are all of the great characters already established within the show: Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz, Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso, Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene, Jacob Bertrand as Eli 'Hawk' Moskowitz, Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso, Peyton List as Tory Nichols, and Martin Kove as John Kreese.

While co-creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg are still leading "Cobra Kai," no specific directors, writers, or other behind-the-scenes creatives for season 5 have yet been announced.

To fill in the gaps, be sure to catch the trailer for "Cobra Kai" season 5, as well as the official plot synopsis below. If you haven't seen the series (or the ever-culturally relevant film series that inspired it), this summer might just be the perfect opportunity to do so.

Following the shocking results of the All Valley Tournament, Terry Silver is expanding the Cobra Kai empire and trying to make his "No Mercy" style of karate the only game in town. With Kreese behind bars and Johnny Lawrence setting karate aside to focus on repairing the damage he's caused, Daniel LaRusso must call on an old friend for help.