The Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio has backed the idea of a prequel centered on Mr. Miyagi. Speaking with Screen Rant, Macchio stated that he would love to be involved in any potential spinoffs from the hugely popular Netflix series Cobra Kai, before declaring, “How do we not explore the backstory of and the origin of Mr. Miyagi?”

While discussing his memoir, Waxing On: The Karate Kid And Me, Macchio wondered how the creatives behind Cobra Kai could not be thinking about a Mr. Miyagi prequel. A project that Macchio himself is clearly eager to see take shape.

“But it seems to me it’s just… How do we not explore the backstory of and the origin of Mr. Miyagi? And what happened? What brought him to that place; working in that apartment in Reseda? What was his life before then? I think that would be fascinating.”

Portrayed by Pat Morita in the 1984 original The Karate Kid, a performance for which Morita was awarded the 1985 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Mr. Miyagi becomes the gruff-but-lovable mentor of Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso. Morita went on to star in several Karate Kid sequels, with each one slowly pulling back the curtain on his tragic backstory – a backstory that Macchio (and many Karate Kid fans) would love to see explored further. Sadly, Pat Morita passed away in 2005, but his legacy and the legacy of Mr. Miyagi have lived on through Cobra Kai.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

With Cobra Kai due to enter its sixth season, spinoffs are now being worked on behind-the-scenes. And Ralph Macchio would love to be a part of them.

Ralph Macchio Has Teased the Karate Kid Cinematic Universe

     Netflix

While no Cobra Kai spinoff ideas have yet been revealed, Macchio is excited to see the emergence of the Karate Kid Cinematic Universe.

“Whether it be in the front of it, or on the periphery, or just involved in some way - because I was there from the beginning with these characters - I would love to be included in [a spin-off]. And there are those discussions going on, although it is not a solidified idea or production at this point.”

So, is a Mr. Miyagi prequel something that you would like to see? Who could possibly step into the iconic shoes of Pat Morita? These are just some of the questions that Macchio and the Cobra Kai creators would have to answer if he wants to see the project happen.

The first five seasons of Cobra Kai are available to stream now on Netflix.