No Mercy

Ralph Macchio Talks Tech, the Switch to Netflix, and Season 3 of Cobra Kai

- Joe Toppe

Thanks to streaming technologies like YouTube and Netflix, what started almost four decades ago is back in a big way.

Ralph Macchio’s return to Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai is a culmination of the market’s continued interest in The Karate Kid movie franchise and the “Perfect Pitch,” according to the actor.

The series began on YouTube in 2018 and remained there for the first two years. The show has since transitioned to Netflix and will kick off season three in early 2021. So far, nearly the entire original cast has made an appearance, while more are expected later in the series. With projects like The Outsiders, My Cousin Vinny, and HBO’s drama series, Deuce, under his belt, Macchio has enjoyed a career in the spotlight since the early 1980s.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the traditional movie business and an entertainer’s capacity to connect with fans through film, viewing technologies and the consumer’s ability to watch from anywhere are creating a tech-oriented demographic and demand.

How does Macchio watch movies now? Is he a tech enthusiast? What are his future projects? What’s the release date for the third season of Cobra Kai? Will there be a season four?

In a recent sit-down with Innovation & Tech Today, Macchio not only talked about Cobra Kai and the technologies he uses in his home, he told us where the idea for the show came from and how he learned all those fighting moves.

Innovation & Tech Today: Can you tell us how you pitched the idea for Cobra Kai? What were your initial thoughts?