The trio who revived the Karate Kid franchise into the Netflix hit Cobra Kai are looking to bring their magic to another dormant 1980s brand: Knight Rider.
Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg are negotiating to create a modern adaptation of the series, insiders told The Hollywood Reporter.
The trio ‘are in early talks to write the screenplay,’ sources told the outlet; Schlossberg would be the director if the project moved forward.
The 80s series starred David Hasselhoff, Edward Mulhare, Patricia McPherson, Rebecca Holden, narrator Richard Basehart and a talking car named KITT.
The show from original creator Glen A. Larson was part of NBC’s primetime lineup from 1982 to 1986, airing 90 total episodes over four seasons on the air.
According to a logline, the series followed ‘the adventures of lone crime-fighter, Michael Knight.’
The trio who revived the Karate Kid franchise into the Netflix hit Cobra Kai are looking to bring their magic to another dormant 1980s brand: Knight Rider. David Hasselhoff and Kitt pictured
Knight was played by Hasselhoff in a career-making role that later paved the way for his stint on the 90s hit Baywatch.
The lead character on the series was assisted by ‘his virtually indestructible and artificially intelligent supercar’ KITT in battling the forces of evil, the logline stated.
Writers Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider penned a first draft for the reboot, according to a report from Entertainment Weekly.
The outlet noted that ‘plot details are being kept under wraps’ in the early stages of the project.
The popular franchise – a TV staple of the decade of decadence – has been spawned into reboots before with hopes of reviving it.
It inspired a pair of films and a television adaptation in the 1990s: the movies Knight Rider 2000 (1991) and Knight Rider 2010 (1994), and the TV show Team Knight Rider (1997).
The outlet reported that it had been ‘unclear’ if Hasselhoff would be involved in the reboot in any way.
It pointed to a 2012 interview in which the actor/singer said that he was not interested in doing a modernized version of the project unless it touched back to its nostalgic roots.
Josh Heald, Hayden Schlossberg and Jon Hurwitz are negotiating to create a modern adaptation of the series Knight Rider. Pictured in Newport Beach, California in June
KITT has been described as a his virtually indestructible and artificially intelligent supercar
‘If you don’t [make it retro], it’s not gonna be Knight Rider,’ Hasselhoff told EW in November of 2012.
Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg previously collaborated on Cobra Kai, based off of Robert Mark Kamen’s The Karate Kid.
The series, which rejuvenated the careers of lead actors Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, ran for six seasons and garnered 11 overall Primetime Emmy nominations – including Outstanding Comedy Series at the 73rd annual Emmy awards in 2021.
Heald, Hurwitz and Schlossberg are set to produce the adaptation with their company, Counterbalance Entertainment.
They join 87North’s Kelly McCormick and David Leitch and Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Chris Stone as producers on the adaptation of the TV show.
