It’s a great honor to announce that YouTube Originals will celebrate two of its biggest series at San Diego Comic-Con 2019. Cobra Kai and Impulse will have panels with the cast, executive producers, showrunners and exclusive footage at the event next week!

Cobra Kai debuted Season 2 earlier this year to more fanfare and critical acclaim, ultimately paving the way to a Season 3 renewal. Season 2 saw the return of Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively. In Season 1, their rivalry dating all the way back to the 1984 Under 18 All Valley Karate Championships continued with Johnny resurrecting Cobra Kai and winning the 2018 event with his new students trained under the creed, "Strike first, strike hard, no mercy." Season 2 picks up with Cobra Kai flourishing courtesy of the big win, but when Daniel gets his own dojo, Miyagi-Do, up and running, it creates an even bigger rift between the two senseis and their students as well.

It’s truly the ultimate treat and thrill to get to tell you that I will hit the Ballroom 20 stage on Thursday, July 18th at 4:45pm to moderate the conversation with Karate Kid veterans Macchio, Zabka and Martin Kove, the trio leading the new generation of students Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser and Tanner Buchanan, and also executive producers Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg.

Nine years ago I waited in line for my very first San Diego Comic-Con panel for hours. I was all alone and had absolutely no clue what I was doing, but within minutes of hopping in line, I received a warm welcome from the SDCC attendees around me. Many hours and one too many granola bars later, we all walked into Ballroom 20 together, solidifying that San Diego Comic-Con is a one-of-a-kind place where passions bring people together. To get the opportunity to stand on that stage and celebrate a property that encouraged me to take karate as a kid and has also challenged me to consider more than one side of a situation as an adult, means the world to me.

After you catch Cobra Kai in San Diego on Thursday, you better pencil in Impulse which returns to the Indigo Ballroom on Saturday, July 20th at 2:00pm. I had the pleasure of unveiling the Impulse Season 2 announcement at SDCC 2018, and now I’m eagerly awaiting the new details dropped at this year’s event hosted by the incomparable Jacqueline Coley of Rotten Tomatoes.

In case you’re not caught up on this one, Season 1 featured a stellar lead performance from Maddie Hasson as Henrietta “Henry” Cole. She’s a 16-year-old who doesn’t fit in and knows it. Then, one day, Henry experiences a traumatic event and it triggers an extradorinaiy ability that truly does set her apart from everyone else in her small town - the ability to teleport.

I highly recommend catching up on this one before Hasson hits the stage with co-stars Sarah Desjardins, Enuka Okuma, Daniel Maslany, and showrunner Lauren LeFranc. If last year’s panel is any indication, it’s going to be a good time celebrating powerhouse performances from the A+ ensemble and the top-notch work delivered by LeFranc and her crew. Plus, with Season 2 due to hit YouTube in the fall, I’d like to bet attendees will get some teases on what we’ve got to look forward to.

Here are the official SDCC panel descriptions for Cobra Kai and Impulse:

COBRA KAI: Past, Present and Future

 

Join the cast and creators of the hit YouTube Original Series COBRA KAI which launched its second season last spring to another round of fanfare and critical acclaim. From its iconic roots in The Karate Kid film franchise, to the current YouTube series, fans can learn the moves it took to bring these popular characters back for a new generation-- and try to wrestle free the surprises in store for its upcoming third season.

 

WHEN: Thursday, 7/18/19, 4:45PM - 5:45PM 

WHERE: Ballroom 20 

PANELISTS: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Martin Kove, Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Tanner Buchanan, Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, Hayden Schlossberg 

MODERATOR: Perri Nemiroff, Collider

IMPULSE Season 2: The Genre-Bending Teleporter Drama from YouTube Originals

After getting more than 31 million views on the pilot, the critically-acclaimed YouTube Original series IMPULSE is back for a thrilling new season. Join stars Maddie Hanson, Daniel Maslany, Sarah Desjardins and Enuka Okuma, alongside showrunner Lauren LeFranc (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) to go deep on the story thus far--and the drama to come.

 

WHEN: Saturday, 7/20/18, 2:00PM - 3:00PM 

WHERE: Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront 

PANELISTS: Maddie Hasson, Sarah Desjardins, Enuka Okuma, Daniel Maslany, Lauren LeFranc 

MODERATOR: Jacqueline Coley, Rotten Tomatoes