Warning: SPOILERS lie ahead for Cobra Kai season 6 part 2!
As the Netflix show gears up to close out one era of the franchise, aCobra Kaistar confirms he won’t be back forKarate Kid: Legends. The upcoming movie serves as the first theatrical installment in the eponymous series since the 2010 reboot and will bring together that movie’s Jackie Chan as Mr. Han with Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso. While story details remain under wraps, Macchio did recently confirm thatKarate Kid: Legends' storywill be set after the events ofCobra Kaiseason 6, the end of the Netflix sequel show.
During a recent interview withKyle Meredithto discussCobra Kaiseason 6 part 2,Martin Kove was asked about the chances of his returnfor the upcomingKarate Kid: Legends, reprising the role of John Kreese. Kreese is the co-founder of the Cobra Kai dojo who has been a longtime villain of the franchise, appearing in the first three movies and all six seasons of the Netflix show.
The original franchise starconfirmed he will not be appearing in the upcoming movie, noting that he and many of his longtime co-stars were not “invited to come and play” in the sequel, while also humorously saying his not being included means the creative team are “inviting trouble”. Check out what Kove shared in the quotes and video below:
Well, that was a choice. Robert Kamen didn’t write the script, he wrote all three and wrote brilliance. He helped the writers of Cobra Kai, gave them his blessing. He assisted them, and they’re all good friends, John, Josh, Hayden and Robert Kamen. And he wrote a musical, I went to see it in St. Louis, the premiere of Karate Kid: The Musical, and it was beautiful, and it just got a delay in release because of this movie coming out in May, the one that Ralph’s doing. Very few of us were privy to anything of what this movie’s even about. I remember having a wonderful time with my kids and Will Smith on his movie, and he was very concerned about was he loyal to us from our experience of the three films.
And he was, but it was still odd to see “No mercy” being said in Japanese as a subtitle. It was a fish-out-of-water, but it took place in Japan, so it didn’t have the American values. And it made money, it did well, it was a decent movie. On this picture, I don’t know. It’s kept under wraps pretty well. I haven’t talked to Ralph about it; I will… Ralph went off for about 10 days, did it, and that was it. None of us were invited to come and play. When they don’t invite me, it’s okay, because I know why: They’re inviting trouble.
What This Means For Karate Kid: Legends
Cobra Kai Will Likely Wrap Up Kreese’s Story
Though he’s been a major staple character of the franchise going all the way back to its inception,Kove’s absence inKarate Kid: Legends' cast ultimately makes sense. AsCobra Kaihas established across its six-season run, Sensei Kreese’s arc is pretty much exclusively tied to William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence andThomas Ian Griffith’s Terry Silver, with only a modicum of a grudge still held out for Macchio’s LaRusso. As such, if reports of LaRusso going back to the East Coast in the movie prove true, Kreese’s appearance wouldn’t be necessary.
This Karate Kid Remake Detail Opens The Door For A Surprising Mr. Han Twist In The 2025 Sequel
Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han from 2010’s The Karate Kid is confirmed to return in 2025, but his character’s role could be unexpected given his age.
The other major reason why Kove’s exclusion fromKarate Kid: Legendswould work is thatCobra Kaiseason 6 looks to be aiming to wrap uphis and many other characters' stories for the final season. Johnny is finally on the verge of building a proper family and coming full-circle in the tournament scene, and Daniel is finally about ready to leave karate behind for good. Kreese and Silver, on the other hand, are on the verge of killing each other after part 2’s reveal that the latter made it out of prison.
Could John Kreese (And Others) Return Outside Of Karate Kid: Legends?
The Universe Could Continue To Expand
As Kove’s comments highlight, there are not many legacy characters who are set to return inKarate Kid: Legends. In fact, beyond the two marquee stars, there have been no cameos or supporting appearances set for people from theCobra Kaicast, potentiallyallowing the movie to build out its own standalone branch of the franchiseif it becomes a success. However, this does not mean that the show’s cast members will necessarily be left behind.
TheKarate Kid: Legendssupporting cast includes Joshua Jackson, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight, Wyatt Oleff, Danny McBride, and Jennifer-Lyn Christie.
Other existing cast members have expressed interest in continuing to be a part of theCobra Kaiuniverse. In addition to Kove, this includes Jacob Bertrand, who plays Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz. This is entirely possible because, duringScreen Rant’s recent set visit,the show’s creators have revealed that they would love to continue creating further projects in the franchise, with Jon Hurwitz saying that “we have multiple ideas of the things that we would like to do.” While no further projects have been greenlit yet, a Netflix spinoff could continue the West Coast story and include many other returning characters.
Our Take On Kove’s Absence From Karate Kid: Legends
There Are Still Ways His Presence Could Be Felt
While Kove has made it clear in no uncertain terms he won’t appear in the movie for new scenes, that doesn’t necessarily mean Kreese can’t appear inKarate Kid: Legendsin some capacity.Cobra Kaihas frequently utilized archival footage and flashbacksto connect the show to the prior movies and expand the Miyagi-verse, and as such,Kreese could be seenwith such should Daniel reflect on his past in an effort to teach Ben Wang’s new protagonist, Li Fong, about the dangerous side of karate.
ReadScreen Rant’sCobra Kaiseason 6 part 2 reviewtoget a sense of how the final season is shaping upahead of the release ofKarate Kid: Legends.
Formore on Martin Kove’sCobra Kaicharacter, learn aboutwhether John Kreese or Terry Silver is the better fighter.
Keep up with theCobra Kaiseason 6 part 2 castto learn more about what characters from season 1 and the earlier movies have stuck around and are thuspotentially the most likely to return in a possible spinoff.
Cobra Kaiseason 6 part 3 is set to premiere on Netflix on February 13.
Karate Kid: Legends
Cast
Karate Kid: Legends is a sequel to Cobra Kai and The Karate Kid directed by Jonathan Entwistle. The film sees Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan reprising their roles, continuing the legacy of martial arts mentorship and rivalry in a new era of challenges and apprentices.
