Cobra Kai showrunner Josh Heald clarifies if the Netflix series will tie into the forthcoming Karate Kid movie. Initially premiering in 2018, this martial arts comedy-drama, which is set in the famous Karate Kid universe, follows former antagonist Johnny Lawrence as he tries to reacquaint himself with martial arts. William Zabka plays Johnny Lawrence and is joined by other talented names like Xolo Maridueña, Ralph Macchio, Tanner Buchanan, Courtney Henggeler and Mary Mouser.

On a set visit for Cobra Kai season 6, which is the final season for the show, Heald spoke to ScreenRant, clarifying the speculations about the series setting up the forthcoming Karate Kid movie. The showrunner stated that he’s not personally involved in the Karate Kid movie and Cobra Kai is not setting up the upcoming movie. Read his full quote below:

The guys and I are not personally involved in the movie. That’s a Sony feature, we kind of exist in this universe, so as we are wrapping our series, Ralph is actually going to go off to participate and film that movie. But our series doesn’t set up the movie, the movie kind of exists in its own piece of its own universe with Jackie Chan’s character, and Ralph’s character, and the various other characters in that story. So, I think Daniel is the piece that that does tie in, but there’s there’s nothing, from a storytelling or a character journey in our season that directly feeds into that project.

What To Expect From The Karate Kid Movie

The highly anticipated Karate Kid movie is set to be the sixth installment in this long-running film series. The franchise originally began in 1984, which introduced audiences to Daniel LaRusso and found commercial and critical success. Subsequently, five other entries were released, with the latest being the 2010 remake which introduced new faces to the franchise, including Jackie Chan.

Sony confirmed the new Karate Kid movie back in 2022, and it was initially set for release on June 7, 2024. The Hollywood strikes affected this and the release date was shifted to December 2024. Further delays plagued the movie and the release date was pushed back once again May 30, 2025. Along with the confirmation of the release date, Macchio and Chan were also confirmed to be returning to reprise their respective roles in the franchise.

Aside from Chan and Macchio, other actors who will feature in the new movie include Ben Wang, who is expected to play the lead, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, and Fringe star Joshua Jackson. The plot of the movie is still under wraps. However, it will not tie into the ongoing Cobra Kai series. Instead, the movie is expected to be set on the East Coast, unlike Cobra Kai and the other Karate Kid entries.