Cobra Kai season 5 plans to strike fast and hard — in fact, months earlier than expected. From the looks of its action-packed trailer and whispers of fiercer rivalries, the next installment's tension is reaching a snake-shaped head.
Over half a year later from the Cobra Kai season 4 premiere, fans still haven't shaken the feeling that Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny (William Zabka) might not be the best around, after all. Following a deflating loss to Cobra Kai at the All Valley tournament, it looks like the reign of Miyagi-Do has come to an end — and with it, the rise of Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) has begun. Perhaps even more surprising, it doesn't seem like Kreese (Martin Kove) will be along for the ride.
But is it really over for the Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang alliance ... or will new, unexpected fellowships form and fight back? While we patiently wait for the next chapter of The Karate Kid-based Netflix series to arrive, we're sharing what we know so far about Cobra Kai season 5.
Read on to catch up on the latest about Cobra Kai's release date, cast, spoilers, how to watch and more:
When is the Cobra Kai season 5 release date on Netflix?
Netflix officially confirmed season 5 of Cobra Kai will premiere on September 9, several months earlier than anticipated as it usually comes out closer to the New Year. What's more, the streaming giant surprised fans with an official look at the epic Cobra Kai season 5 trailer.
Who will be in the Cobra Kai season 5 cast?
The trailer shows us that the following cast members will return:
- Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso
- William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence
- Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso
- Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz
- Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene
- Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso
- Jacob Bertrand as Hawk
- Peyton List as Tory Nichols
- Martin Kove as John Kreese
- Thomas Ian Griffith as Terry Silver
- Gianni DeCenzo as Demetri
- Owen Morgan as Bert
- Aedin Mincks as Mitch
- Vanessa Rubio as Carmen
- Khalil Everage as Chris
- Joe Seo as Kyler
- Hannah Kepple as Moon
As if there weren't enough snakes in town, another ghost of Karate Kid past will make his debut next season. New photos of the upcoming season reveal Karate Kid III villain Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan, pictured above) making a dramatic return. Remember the guy Silver hired to terrorize Daniel? Yeah, that one. Who knows where his allegiance lies this time but one thing's for sure, he seems ready to put up a fight.
Other returning characters like Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), Daniel's primary rival in The Karate Kid Part II, will play a significant role next season. Just like how Silver shook things up for Cobra Kai and joined forces with Kreese, Chozen will be able to help Daniel restore Miyagi-Do to its former glory as seen in the teaser. After all, Daniel and Johnny could use some help right about now.
Expect more villainry ahead as the Cobra Kai dojo tags "formidable South Korean sensei Kim Da-Eun," played by new cast member Alicia Hannah-Kim, to team up with Silver. Dallas Dupree Young, who joined the show last season as Kenny Payne, levels up to a series regular. Considering his transformation from nerdy underdog to bitter bully, he's sure to stir things up next season as already previewed from the trailer.
What's going to happen to Silver and Kreese?
In the season 4 finale, we see Silver brutally beat up Stingray (Paul Walter Hauser) and frame Kreese for the crime. Season 5 will pick up right where we left off, with the wrongfully accused Kreese behind bars as Silver tries to take over the town with his Cobra Kai "No Mercy" empire.
Cobra Kai cocreator Hayden Schlossberg told ComicBook.com that fans can expect the karate rivalries to be even more intense next season with Silver looking to open multiple dojos across the Valley with an army of recruits. Evidently, it's the season to watch if you're a fan of the original as the showrunners pull out all the stops.
"The possibilities now are endless. Obviously, things could get really heightened because you know that Chozen is the type of guy who, at least in Karate Kid II, was willing to fight to the death," Hayden added. "And we know that Terry Silver is willing to go to crazy lengths, to stay in power, especially after what he did to Stingray in season four. So it has the makings for a big action-packed season."
Are there any other Cobra Kai season 5 spoilers?
Most of the actors are staying quiet about season 5, but Jacob Bertrand, who plays Hawk, did tell Entertainment Weekly that in addition to more fighting, we'll see a lot of "unlikely team-ups" in the Valley (maybe Kreese will reconcile with Johnny?). Based on the glimpse we got from the trailer, Chozen, Johnny and Daniel appear to join forces as Miguel, Robby and even Daniel's son, Anthony LaRusso (Griffin Santopietro), are seen bowing in front of the senseis. Perhaps not all hope is lost ...
Showrunner Josh Heald teased that viewers can expect to see more drama unfold. He told TVLine: "There are quite a bit of storylines that start spinning very fast and very aggressively as we enter next season." We also know that things are bound to get downright complicated for father-son duo Johnny and Robby as they venture to find Miguel who traveled to Mexico in search of his biological father.
Clearly, Miguel somehow makes his way back to the Valley as evidenced by the trailer, but it seems unlikely that Robby and Miguel will diffuse their personal differences anytime soon. One clip shows the two confronting each other as Johnny attempts to moderate. "[I] want you guys to get along," he says. "We're all friends now." Miguel replies: "We're not friends," while Robby adds, "We never will be." Cue the punch-kick sequences.
How can I watch and stream Cobra Kai season 5?
The first four seasons of Cobra Kai can be streamed now on Netflix. When season 5 of Cobra Kai is released, it will be exclusively available on Netflix.
For those that don't subscribe to Netflix currently, you can sign up for a plan starting at $9.99 per month. The streaming platform will allow you to enjoy Cobra Kai and countless movies and TV shows, which you can watch on your smart TV, game console, set-top box, Blu-ray player, smartphone, tablet, PC and laptop. You can change or cancel your subscription at any time.
How can I stream The Karate Kid movies while waiting for season 5 of Cobra Kai?
A great question! If you've already rewatched the first four seasons of Cobra Kai, it's not a bad idea to revisit The Karate Kid franchise, especially with so many old characters popping up in the Netflix series. Here's how you can watch them all in order and on demand:
