New information regarding Season 6 of Cobra Kai may indicate when the hit comedy series will be released.
Netflix's Karate Kid spin-off reignited interest in the long-dormant franchise, bringing back classic characters from the beloved 1980s series of films.
Season 6 of the show has long been in the works (originally announced in January 2023), serving as the final batch of episodes for the quick-kicking comedy.
Cobra Kai Season 6 Filming Starts
Cobra Kai has officially started filming, hinting when the beloved Netflix show could be released.
According to a post on Cobra Kai creator Jon Hurwitz's X (formerly Twitter), he is "back on set with the Cobra Kai family this week," meaning cameras on the long-awaited return are now rolling:
"Amazing being back on set with the 'Cobra Kai' family this week. So many hugs and laughs. It immediately felt like we were filming future classic scenes from the show. I know you’re busy binging 'Obliterated' right now, but I’m on a plane, so feels like a solid time for a good ol’ fashioned Q&A. Ask me anything. I may just answer! Let’s go!"
This comes after months of delays for the series in 2023 due to the writers' and actors' strikes that dominated the industry for much of the year.
However, given both labor disputes have come to an end, Cobra Kai can move full steam ahead toward the release of its sixth and final season.
Production on Season 5 took about four months to wrap (happening between September and December 2021) before being released on September 9, 2022.
If Season 6 follows a similar production timeline, then filming will likely finish sometime around May of this year. That would mean this latest batch of episodes would seemingly be ready to go around nine months later in early 2025 (roughly January or February 2025).
Is Cobra Kai Season 6 the End of the Show?
Much has been said about Cobra Kai Season 6 being the end of the hit Netflix story.
After its humble roots as a YouTube Red original, the Karate Kid sequel series has become one of the most beloved streaming comedies in recent memory.
However, as explained by creator Jon Hurwitz, they always envisioned "end[ing] Cobra Kai on [their] own terms" and did not want to overstay their welcome (per a post on Hurwitz's X profile):
"Netflix didn't tell us it was the last season. We told them it was the last season. We've always wanted to end 'Cobra Kai' on our own terms and we are grateful we have the opportunity to do so. But that doesn't mean we're finished with the Miyagiverse. We love this world."
Of course, there is always the chance Hurwitz and the team return, as the showrunner told GamesRadar in 2021 that he has "lots of ideas" for even more stories in - what he calls - the Miyagiverse (named after Karate Kid character Mr. Miyagi):
"We do have a place where it’s all going, but that doesn’t mean the world has to stop there. We have lots of ideas of continuing [the universe] and keeping the 'Karate Kid' vibes going through other stories and other shows and different formats for that."
While plot details for the incoming sixth and final season remain murky, there are a few things fans have been clamoring for that would perfectly mark Cobra Kai's end.
The biggest of these fan wishes is the return of Hillary Swank's The Next Karate Kid character, Julie Pierce.
Swank has been absent from the franchise since the 1994 film, and - seeing as nearly every other obscure personality from across the Miyaiverse has come back in some form for the series - what better way to end Cobra Kai than with an appearance from the Oscar-winning actress.
Cobra Kai Seasons 1-5 are streaming now on Netflix.
