“Cobra Kai,” the single biggest success story of YouTube’s brief dalliance with scripted series fare, is leaving the streaming giant as Deadline reports that this sequel series to the original iconic 1980s film “The Karate Kid” will premiere its third season elsewhere.
The Google-owned YouTube service is in the process of releasing the rights to the third season of the popular show to producing studio Sony Pictures TV as it continues its retreat from premium original scripted programming. YouTube ordered a third season last year and was planning to air the new run, but notified Sony TV it had no plans for a fourth season order.
As a result, Sony TV then asked for permission to shop the upcoming and already completed production third season to an outlet so that, should it be successful, then additional seasons could be ordered. Sony TV also took the show out with all the major streamers expressing interest in being its new home. Netflix and Hulu are leading the short list of contenders.
Negotiations are now reportedly nearing a successful conclusion, but YouTube won’t formally release the series until its new home has been secured. Along with exclusive rights to the third season, the new outlet will have access on a non-exclusive basis to the first two seasons for fans to catch up.
