Could Julie Pierce show up in Cobra Kai season 5? Here's everything that's been said so far about Hilary Swank's potential return to the franchise.
Over the last few years, various statements have been made about the possibility of Hillary Swank making an appearance in Cobra Kai. The actress has never shared a scene with any of Cobra Kai’s characters, but she does have important ties to the franchise. She famously played Mr. Miyagi’s second teenage protégé, Julie Pierce, in The Next Karate Kid.
Since she was part of an all-new Karate Kid story that had no connection to Daniel LaRusso’s journey, she doesn’t have an obvious place in Cobra Kai’s story. That being said, her role in the Karate Kid universe does make her a strong candidate for inclusion in the Netflix series. As one of only two confirmed students of Mr. Miyagi, Julie would have a link to Daniel and the legacy he’s trying to keep alive in Cobra Kai.
Julie’s return could be a continuation of one of Cobra Kai’s biggest traditions. The series has a history of reviving long-missing characters and finding places for them in the lives of Miguel, Robby, Tory, and other members of The Karate Kid’s next generation of students. In addition to making Kreese, Silver, and presumably Chozen main characters, Cobra Kai has featured surprising guest appearances from Kumiko, Ali Mills, Bobby, and more. Another major figure in the franchise, Sean Kanan’s Mike Barnes, has also been teased for Cobra Kai season 5. One character who at least has a chance of joining him is Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce. Here’s everything that’s been said about Swank possibly reprising her Next Karate Kid role in a future season of Cobra Kai.
Cobra Kai’s Creators
Cobra Kai co-creators Hayden Schlossberg and Jon Hurwitz have made it crystal clear that Julie is indeed on the table for the show’s future. During Deadline’s Television Contenders panel in April 2022, Schlossberg said that the series is “the show to watch” for those who want to see Swank play Julie again. Schlossberg added that Julie is one of the options in their “toy chest”. Hurwitz said back in 2020 that those in the writer’s room have discussed using every Karate Kid character, Julie included. He pointed out that an appearance is possible because they consider The Next Karate Kid to be a part of the “Miyagi-verse”.
Cobra Kai’s Stars
Daniel LaRusso actor Ralph Macchio reiterated Hurwitz’s sentiments when speaking with ET. According to Macchio, anyone in the Miyagi-verse “makes sense” for Cobra Kai. This is consistent with other comments he’s made in the past. He’s also said that Jackie Chan can’t have a cameo since 2010’s Karate Kid reboot isn’t set in the same world, but there is “always a chance” for Julie to show up since she has a history with Mr. Miyagi that’s canon with Cobra Kai’s story. Johnny Lawrence actor William Zabka repeated Macchio’s remarks about her Miyagi-verse ties being enough to justify a Cobra Kai appearance.
Cobra Kai’s Supporting Cast
In addition to Macchio and Zabka, the actors who play the students in Cobra Kai have also discussed the chances of Hilary Swank appearing in Cobra Kai. Tanner Buchanan, who portrays Robby, said that no one involved in the show will give him a “straight answer” if it’s going to happen, but he hopes Swank does appear in the future. Eli actor Jacob Bertrand said that he is “pulling for her to come back”. As for Sam actress Mary Mouser, she argued that Julie Pierce’s return has to occur “at the right time and the right way” [via ET].
Hilary Swank
Swank herself has said very little about a possible return of any kind to The Karate Kid franchise. Thus far, the actress has only confirmed that she is aware of the speculation surrounding a potential appearance on Cobra Kai. She said that when she first started hearing about it, she didn’t know the show even existed [via Uproxx]. It remains to be seen if Swank would be open to reprising the Julie Pierce role in any capacity, whether it be a cameo, a multi-episode arc, or a series regular role.
Will Julie Appear In Cobra Kai Season 5?
Cobra Kai’s creators have thus far played coy on the prospect of Julie appearing in Cobra Kai season 5, so it does seem plausible that she’s one of the “familiar faces” that’s been teased for the new season. On the other hand, the actors’ comments about not knowing if she’s coming back or not hint that if she does join the show, it won’t be until after the next season. While this of course could just be a tactic used to hide Julie’s presence in Cobra Kai season 5, a stronger possibility is that her character is part of the plan for the following season instead. If the series uses Mike Barnes in season 5 expected, the series won’t have any major characters from the Karate Kid trilogy left to add. When the series reaches that point, that could be the time for Julie to finally make her long-awaited Cobra Kai debut.
The Best Way To Bring Julie Back To Cobra Kai
Regardless of which season Cobra Kai chooses to use her (if at all), the show has different avenues it can take in using her. Perhaps the best way for Julie’s return to work is for the series to wait until season 6, after its already devoted sufficient screen-time to the upcoming storyline with Chozen, Silver, and the heavily rumored Mike Barnes. Cobra Kai season 5 is poised to deliver a storyline that encompasses all the main fighters from the Karate Kid trilogy, so it makes sense that the series remain focused on that for now.
After that’s over, Cobra Kai can shift its attention to Julie, who can be introduced as a Miyagi-do sensei that comes to the Valley. If she finds out about a dojo that carries on Mr. Miyagi’s legacy, Julie could develop an interest in joining them as an additional karate instructor who can work alongside Daniel in the series. Following her arrival, Daniel can learn about her own relationship with his mentor, and how he had a similar but equally good influence on how her life turned out. With her backstory, Julie could have an interesting connection to Daniel and a very good reason for helping him expand and improve the Miyagi-do dojo. Since Cobra Kai doesn’t have any female karate instructors, Julie would definitively stand out from the others in a big way. She could also offer a different perspective, and perhaps fill a mentor role to one of the dojo’s many young students. She may not have any relationships with Cobra Kai’s existing characters, but some could certainly be forged in the show’s future.
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