YouTube’s scripted original series Cobra Kai is returning for season 3, but not on YouTube. It’s production company Sony Pictures TV has reportedly decided to shop the series to bigger streaming platforms. So far it sounds like Netflix and Hulu are the top contenders.
YouTube tried to throw its hat in the ring as a streaming service with YouTube Premium, but really only had success with one show, Cobra Kai. Now, the Google-owned video platform is saying it’s bowing out of scripted original content and won’t be home to the third season of the Karate Kid sequel. While YouTube still has rights to the first two seasons, it’s likely the winning bidder for Season 3 will get non-exclusive rights to the whole series so fans can watch and catch up all in one place.
Netflix is stacked with content ready to be released throughout the year, but the production shut downs this spring has thrown a wrench in a lot of Hulu’s pipeline projects. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Hulu pay top dollar to snag a new series that already has a popular following to help bridge the content gap this summer and boost its viewership.
The first season of Cobra Kai did really well on YouTube, landing 55 million views for Episode 1 alone and was the sixth-most Google-searched TV show in 2018. If shopping season 3 leads to success, Sony Pictures TV will renew for a fourth season.
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