Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald, the creators of Cobra Kai, are considering adapting another nostalgia-unlocking IP. Move over Daniel LaRusso. It's time for KITT to step into the limelight.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the trio wants to bring Knight Rider to life. The 1980s David Hasselhoff action TV show saw him drive around in a talking car called KITT.
Who doesn't remember Knight Rider?
Children of the 80s (or fans of the era) will remember the iconic NBC show for its high-concept talking car, campy performances, and memorable theme song. The show starred Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a detective who partners with a modified, AI Trans Am. Together, the two fight crime and take on bad guys.
Michael and KITT have had a legacy much longer than the show aired. Rocket League and Fortnite recently made KITT available as a purchasable cosmetic, complete with sound effects. So, now is a great time to bring this talking car back into the zeitgeist. Plus, AI assistants have never felt more relevant.
Not the first attempt at a Knight Rider reboot
An adaptation has been in development for a while. The last version reported to be in production was with James Wan and was shelved back in 2020. The team behind this new version may have to tread carefully, as traditional reboots of the traditional show fail both critically and commercially. TV films were released in 1991, 1994, and 2008, plus numerous spinoffs over the years, yet none have matched whatever it was that made the 1980s original show so beloved.
Now, it looks like the team behind The Karate Kid sequel is going to make it a reality. The trio was key to making Cobra Kai one of Netflix's biggest success stories. Cobra Kai became an Emmy-nominated show thanks to the seamless way it blended old characters with talented younger stars. The writers and directors clearly know how to turn an '80s IP into a fresh, new idea that resonates with younger and older audiences alike.
Hurwitz and Schlossberg made a name for themselves writing and directing the Harold & Kumar movies before working on the American Pie sequel American Reunion. Since Cobra Kai came to an end, the creatives behid the show havd been looking for another project. In June,The Hollywood Reporter said that they were working on a new installment of Harold & Kumar.
It's not just Knight Rider, the trio has their eyes on adapting. Recently, Deadline revealed they were looking to make a spinoff of the 1986 John Hughes film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off titled Sam and Victor’s Day Off. This spinoff will follow the valets who took the Ferrari on a joy ride in the 80s classic. It's clear that Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald have a love for the era, but when does it become nostalgia bait for Millennials and Gen Z-ers? If these IP reimaginations are as good as Cobra Kai, maybe we don't mind?