Cobra Kai is bringing back another familiar face from the Karate Kid franchise! Sean Kanan, who played villain Mike Barnes in Karate Kid III, will reprise his character in the upcoming fifth season, Netflix officially announced Tuesday. As part of the announcement, Netflix released the first official image of Kanan back in action.
Season 5, which drops in exactly one month, picks up after the surprising results of the All Valley Tournament. The formerly zen-loving Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) has plans to expand the Cobra Kai empire in an attempt to make his “No Mercy” style of karate the only game in town. With Kreese (Martin Kove) behind bars and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) setting karate aside to focus on repairing the damage he’s caused, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) must call on an old friend for help.
“As Terry Silver calls upon some old friends to put the Valley in a stranglehold, Daniel and Johnny are going to need all the help they can get to stop Cobra Kai in its tracks,” executive producers Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg said in a statement.
Of course, Kanan won’t be the only familiar face returning to the Miyagi-verse. Chozen, played by Yuji Okumoto in Karate Kid II, will make a welcomed return in the new season to help Daniel on his quest.
Macchio spoke with ET on the PaleyFest carpet about welcoming back Okumoto, who made a special appearance at the tail-end of season 4.
“There is a plan. The ending of the season opens up what could be, ‘I can’t let this happen on my watch and I need to call in reinforcements.’ Pretty exciting to have Yuji Okumoto as Chozen come forward in season 5, but all the stories go on at that point,” the actor said. “What’s happening with Miguel? Where is he? What’s going to happen in that? And then you have all our teen triangle love affairs of the Romeo and Juliet, soap opera-ness of what Cobra Kai is.”
The series stars Macchio, Zabka, Courtney Henggeler (Amanda LaRusso), Xolo Maridueña (Miguel Diaz), Tanner Buchanan (Robby Keene), Mary Mouser (Samantha LaRusso), Jacob Bertrand (Hawk), Gianni Decenzo (Demetri), Vanessa Rubio (Carmen), Peyton List (Tory) and Kove. Dallas Dupree Young (Kenny), Oona O’Brien (Devon), Griffin Santopietro (Anthony) and Griffith also appear.
Cobra Kai returns Sept. 9 on Netflix.