Latest news with #TheNextKarateKid
Mint
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Cobra Kai creators reveal they reached out to Hilary Swank for final season cameo
Washington [US], June 29 (ANI): As 'Cobra Kai' brings the 'Karate Kid' universe to a close with its sixth and final season, the show's creators have revealed that they made an effort to bring back a familiar face, Hilary Swank. The two-time Oscar-winning actress portrayed Julie Pierce in 'The Next Karate Kid' (1994), a character who has been absent from the franchise for over three decades. Josh Heald, who co-created the series with Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, shared in an interview that they reached out to Swank's team early on in the process of developing the final season, according to Deadline. The creators had an idea for how Julie Pierce could fit into the Cobra Kai storyline without requiring a full commitment to the season. "We did reach out in the very early days before the season to see if there was a path [for her to appear]," Heald said in an interview, adding, "We had an inkling of an idea about how she could come into this story and not have to commit to 10 episodes or something," as quoted by Deadline. Heald further explained that they approached Swank's team with a "genesis of an idea" about how Julie could return to the larger 'Karate Kid' universe. They were hoping for an opportunity to meet with her and discuss the potential storyline in greater detail. However, despite their efforts, the creators were unable to secure a meeting with Swank. Heald described the response from the actress as "very respectful" but added that she was not in a place where she was ready to revisit the role. "She didn't want us to go through the trouble of flying out to her and putting our heart on the sleeve," Heald explained, adding, "Because it just wasn't something she was ready to do at that moment," as quoted by Deadline. Despite the missed opportunity, Heald acknowledged that Julie Pierce remains a "big piece of the Miyagi-verse" and is a character they would like to revisit in the future. "For us, it was a little disappointing because we like getting everybody, but at the same time, we didn't sacrifice any huge story that we had fully developed," he said, adding, "It's more fruit on the vine for if we can revisit this universe going forward." The Cobra Kai creators have brought several legacy characters back into the fold during the show's run, including Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso, William Zabka's Johnny Lawrence, and Jackie Chan's Mr. Han from the 2010 Karate Kid reboot. The series, which began as a nostalgic revival of the Karate Kid saga, has proven to be a global hit, blending old and new characters with fresh storylines. With Cobra Kai officially concluding its run, the creators have left the door open for future possibilities in the Karate Kid universe, including the potential return of Julie Pierce. Fans of the franchise continue to hold out hope that Swank may one day reprise her role in a future spinoff or project related to the Miyagi-verse. While the final season of Cobra Kai will not feature Swank's Julie Pierce, the creators expressed optimism that there could be future opportunities to bring her back into the fold. As Heald noted, "We'll see what the future holds." (ANI)
New York Post
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Cobra Kai' creators reveal Hilary Swank declined to join show: ‘Disappointing'
Hilary Swank said thanks, but no thanks. The creators of the hit Netflix show 'Cobra Kai' have revealed that they tried to get Swank, 50, to appear in the popular 'Karate Kid' sequel series. But the Oscar-winning actress, who played Julie Pierce in 1994's 'The Next Karate Kid,' politely declined. 10 The creators of 'Cobra Kai' have revealed that they tried to get Hilary Swank to appear in the popular 'Karate Kid' sequel series. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 Swank portrayed Julie Pierce in 'The Next Karate Kid' in 1994. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 'Cobra Kai' creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg opened up about the situation during a sit-down with Entertainment Weekly on Wednesday. 'We did reach out in the very early days before the season to see if there was a path,' Heald said, revealing that they approached the actress shortly before the show's sixth and final season began production in 2024. 'We had an inkling of an idea about how she could come into this story and not have to commit to 10 episodes or something,' he continued. 10 Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi and Swank as Julie Pierce in 'The Next Karate Kid.' ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 The Oscar-winning actress politely declined the 'Cobra Kai' creators' offer for her to appear in the Netflix show. Getty Images 'It was going to feel like it could be a one or two-episode arc, similar to what we did with Elisabeth Shue,' Heald added, 'where you can bring Ali back in at a pivotal moment and affect an important relationship.' Shue, who starred as Ali Mills alongside Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso in the original 1984 'Karate Kid,' reprised her character for the last two episodes of the Netflix show's third season. Although Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg did reach out to Swank's reps to find out if they could have a discussion with her and introduce themselves, the trio never even got that far. 10 'We had an inkling of an idea about how she could come into this story and not have to commit to 10 episodes or something,' creator Josh Heald explained. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 'She was just in a place where she wasn't looking to do that,' Heald said. ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection 'On her end, it was very respectful, but we never got that opportunity to sit down and pour our heart out the way that we typically do when we bring back characters from the legacy,' Heald explained. 'She was just in a place where she wasn't looking to do that.' 'She had had babies. I think she was in production on something at the time, and it was a respectful pass on even the idea of a meeting,' he added. 'She didn't want us to go through the trouble of flying out to her and putting our heart on the sleeve because it just wasn't something she was ready to do at that moment.' Swank welcomed twins with her husband, Philip Schneider, in April 2023. She joined the cast of Showtime's 'Yellowjackets' for Season 3, which premiered this year. 10 'Cobra Kai' followed Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) 34 years after the events of the original 'Karate Kid' movie. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection 10 Many other characters from the six-movie 'Karate Kid' franchise joined Macchio and Zabka on the small screen for 'Cobra Kai.' ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Despite Swank's refusal, the three creators still hope to see her return as Julie Pierce in a potential 'Cobra Kai' spinoff. 'It's a big piece of the Miyagi-verse that's still out there,' Heald said. 'For us, it was a little disappointing because we like getting everybody, but at the same time, we didn't sacrifice any huge story that we had fully developed.' 'It's more fruit on the vine for if we can revisit this universe going forward,' he concluded. The Post has reached out to Swank's reps for comment. 10 'Cobra Kai' premiered on Netflix in 2018 and wrapped up its sixth and final season in February. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection 'Cobra Kai,' which premiered on Netflix in 2018 and wrapped up its sixth and final season in February, followed Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) 34 years after the events of the original 'Karate Kid' movie. While Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg were unable to convince Swank to return, they did bring back other characters from the six-movie franchise to join Macchio, 63, and Zabka, 59, on the small screen. Yuji Okumoto reprised his character Chozen Toguchi from 1986's 'Karate Kid Part II,' and Sean Kanan (Mike Barnes), Thomas Ian Griffith (Terry Silver) and Robyn Lively (Jessica Andrew) all returned to their roles from 1989's 'Karate Kid Part III.' 10 Ralph Macchio with some of his 'Cobra Kai' cast members during a screening of the show in Los Angeles in March 2025. Getty Images Plus, Macchio recently reprised his role as Daniel LaRusso for the 10th time for the franchise's newest film, 'Karate Kid Legends,' which premiered on May 30. The movie also saw Jackie Chan return as Mr. Han from the 2010 'Karate Kid' remake. 'Reprising this role means paying that legacy forward,' Macchio said upon the release of 'Karate Kid Legends' last month. 'It's about spreading that wisdom and knowledge in a good way, in a positive way.' Pat Morita, who played the beloved character Mr. Miyagi in the original 'Karate Kid' trilogy and 'The Next Karate Kid,' died in 2005. He was 73.
Perth Now
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Sadie Stanley explains why she found it 'very natural' to work with Joshua Jackson on Karate Kid
Sadie Stanley found it "very natural" to work with Joshua Jackson on 'Karate Kid: Legends'. The 23-year-old actress plays the on-screen daughter of Jackson's character in the what has become the sixth instalment in the martial arts franchise, and thinks that they gelled so well to begin with because he is a father in his own life. She told ScreenRant: "That process was very natural. We got lunch when we first arrived and hung out for a little bit and just got to know each other. "He has a daughter of his own, Juno, who's adorable, and he is such a dad. He talks about her constantly, gushes about her, shows pictures, talks about what she's into these days and what she's like. He very clearly just has such dad energy." The 'Kim Possible' star noted that her character Mia is "very protective" of her father throughout the story of the film and She said: "Of course, Mia's a little protective of her father. She lost her mom when she was young, and that really forces you to grow up a lot when you're that age. She just has her dad. It's just them two against the world working in this pizza shop trying to make ends meet. "I think that definitely informs her relationships with other people." In the film, Mia strikes up a relationship with Ben Wang's character of Li Fong and noted that was one of the turning points for her on-screen father because it served as a "challenge" in his own life. She said: "I think when she meets Li, she really holds up a mirror to him and challenges him to be more honest with himself and with others. She really sees his potential before he fully sees it in himself. "I think that's really special when you can do that for somebody. Just in general, Mia is a person who sees through the noise, and she's very emotionally intuitive, a grounding force." In the early 1990s, Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank appeared in 'The Next Karate Kid' and Sadie insisted that she would love for the Hollywood star to make a comeback to the franchise. She said: "Absolutely. Great question. Please bring her back. She's fantastic. I'm obsessed with her. That would be so cool. We can have all four of them train Mia."
