The creators of Cobra Kai are all set to revive another beloved 1980s property. Cobra Kai was a legacy sequel to The Karate Kid franchise, one that not only gave expanded roles to several stars of the original Karate Kid trilogy but also put the spotlight on a new generation that could carry the franchise forward. Cobra Kai was a critical hit, and when it moved from YouTube Red to Netflix, it became a global sensation, spanning six seasons that concluded in February 2025. Cobra Kai has made The Karate Kid franchise the most popular it has been since the 1980s, and now Universal Pictures hopes the creative team can do the same for a fan-favorite television show.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald are in talks to write and produce a feature film reimaging of the classic television series Knight Rider. Hurwitz and Schlossberg are in talks to direct, having previously helmed Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and American Reunion, as well as multiple episodes of Cobra Kai. Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, who produced Nobody and Violent Night for Universal Pictures, are co-producing Knight Rider through their production company 87North.
The History of 'Knight Rider'
Knight Rider ran for four seasons on NBC from Sept. 26, 1982, to April 4, 1986. The series starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, an agent for the secret group Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG), and is teamed with an experimental, artificially intelligent, talking Pontiac Firebird Trans Am nicknamed KITT (short for Knight Industries Two Thousand), voiced by William Daniels. The series was created by Glen A. Larson, who created beloved television staples like The Fall Guy, Battlestar Galactica, and Magnum P.I. Despite only lasting 90 episodes, Knight Rider became a pop culture phenomenon and is one of the most iconic series of the 1980s.
Universal has attempted to expand the Knight Rider franchise in the past. Hasselhoff returned for a television movie in 1991 titled Knight Rider 2000. A second film, Knight Rider 2010, without Hasselhoff, aired in 1994. Then, in 2008, NBC revamped the franchise with a television movie simply titled Knight Rider, which was set after the events of the original series. It was soon followed by a television series, which was canceled after one season. Both the 2008 TV movie and short-lived series are best remembered for featuring the late-great Val Kilmer as the voice of KITT. Since then, Universal Pictures has been attempting to bring a rebooted film to life, with James Wan originally set to produce and James Gunn expressing interest in the project before becoming the head of DC Studios.
Universal taking a chance on Knight Rider is certainly interesting, given that the studio has had a rough time turning former hit television series into blockbuster movies. The A-Team notably underperformed back in 2010, and last summer's The Fall Guy, directed by Knight Rider executive producer David Leitch, was a box office disappointment despite positive reviews. Universal Pictures is also planning a reboot of Miami Vice with Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski at the helm. Given the fact that Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald all had sucessus with Cobra Kai, Universal is counting on them being able to do to Knight Rider what they did for Karate Kid.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Follow Followed Knight Rider TV-PG Action Adventure Crime Sci-Fi Drama Release Date 1982 - 1985 Cast See All David Hasselhoff Michael Knight Edward Mulhare Devon Miles William Daniels K.I.T.T. Patricia McPherson Bonnie Barstow
Creator(s) Glen A. Larson Powered by Expand Collapse