'Cobra Kai' to end with season 6

The producers of the "Karate Kid" sequel series, "Cobra Kai," starring Huntington's Ralph Macchio, are reacting "with pride and thankfulness" at Netflix announcing that the upcoming sixth season will be the show's last.

“Our day one goal with 'Cobra Kai' has always been to end it on our terms, leaving the Valley" — California's San Fernando Valley, the locale of the show — "in the time and place we’ve always imagined," wrote executive producers Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg in an open letter to fans. "So it is with immense pride and thankfulness that we are able to announce that achievement. The upcoming Season Six will mark the conclusion of 'Cobra Kai.' ”

They added, "While this may be a bittersweet day for the fandom … we hope to be telling more 'Karate Kid' stories with you down the line. Because as we all know," they said — uttering a series catchphrase and a season 1 episode title, derived from the name of the series' titular karate dojo — "Cobra Kai Never Dies."

The 67-second trailer released with the announcement features Macchio, who plays Daniel LaRusso, and William Zabka, who plays his former nemesis and now compatriot Johnny Lawrence. The two actors speak in voice-over as a collage of moments play out, spanning from the original 1984 movie in which they starred to the show's most recent seasons.

"We've been fighting so long. Against each other. With each other. It's hard to keep track," says Zabka's Lawrence.

"The training. The tournaments. The rivalries. The lessons," agrees Macchio's LaRusso. "It hasn't always been smooth. But after all this time, we've built something together to be proud of."

"So let me ask you," replies Zabka's Lawrence. "Do you have one more fight left in you?"

Graphical text then announces: "The biggest season. The baddest season. The final season. 'Cobra Kai' VI. Coming soon."

“Reacquainting the world with the 'Karate Kid' universe has been our humble honor,” the producers said in their letter, adding that the show "has also enabled us to play sensei, expanding the original storylines and birthing a new generation of underdogs. We’ve never once taken this opportunity for granted."

Responding on Twitter to an "honestly devastated" fan of the show, Hurwitz, 45, replied, "It's hard for us too, Kyle. But I can promise a ton of thought and care is being put into Season 6, which is without question our biggest season yet."

Macchio starred in the original 1984-89 "Karate Kid" movie trilogy, with Zabka playing his rival in the first film and the late Pat Morita as LaRusso's sensei in all three. Morita continued on to a fourth film, "The Next Karate Kid" (1994), with Hilary Swank as his new student. "Cobra Kai" premiered on YouTube Premium in 2018, streaming two seasons there before moving to Netflix for season 3.