The effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns will continue to be felt throughout the year in TV and film productions as Netflix has confirmed several shows, including Cobra Kai season four, will not be released until the end of the year. Speaking during their company investor call today, Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos announced that shows like Cobra Kai, The Witcher, and You, while originally scheduled for earlier in the year, won’t be released until the end of 2021. This news comes as Netflix announced that its subscriber growth in the first quarter of the year wasn’t as high as they’d originally predicted.
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“What happened in the first part of this year was that a lot of the projects that we’d hoped to come out earlier did get pushed because of the post-production delays and Covid delays and we think we’ll get back to a much steadier state in the back half of the year,” Sarandos said. “Certainly in Q4 where we have the returning seasons of some of our most popular shows like The Witcher and You and Cobra Kai as well as some big tentpole movies that came to market a little slower than we’d hoped like Red Notice and Escape From Spiderhead.”
Production on the fourth season of the Karate Kid spin-off series began in February of this year. Details about the new batch of episodes aren’t yet public but the confirmation of filming from the streaming service revealed the title of the Season 4 premiere which is “Let’s Begin,” calling back to the reveal of Daniel and Johnny working together at the very end of Season 3.
“You’ve seen Johnny and Daniel interact for a few seasons now and a movie wave way, way, way back when, and you’ve seen glimpses of them being able to get along and be on the same page and you’ve seen them throw fists on a dime,” series executive producer and co-creator Jon Hurwitz previously told ComicBook.com. “So anything is possible with the two of them together. They’re united against the common enemy right now. And their intentions are all positive with what they want to do, but let’s see what it’s like for these two guys working together with the same goal, with their different approaches. Can they join forces in a way that is going to be productive and smooth sailing, or will there be bumps in the road? And that’s what people are going to have to look forward to during season four.”
At the time that production starting was announced Netflix also revealed some changes being made to the cast of the series like recurring actors Peyton List and Vanessa Rubio being promoted to series regulars in Season 4. List plays Tory on the series and has been appearing since the second season. Rubio plays Miguel’s mother, Carmen, who just began a romantic relationship with Johnny at the end of last season. Newcomers Dallas Dupree Young and Oona O’Brien will be appearing in Season 4, though their roles have not been revealed.
All three seasons of Cobra Kai are currently streaming on Netflix.