Getty Sean Kanan is photographed at the 2012 Giffoni Film Festival.
The 1989 film The Karate Kid Part III introduced audiences to the character Mike Barnes, played by Sean Kanan.
The 17-year-old martial artist is recruited by John Kreese’s (Martin Kove) friend Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) to win the 1985 All-Valley Tournament. Silver essentially wanted Barnes’ to humiliate Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and help the failing Cobra Kai dojo enroll students. However, Daniel manages to beat Barnes and is named the All-Valley champion yet again.
As Cobra Kai often features popular Karate Kid characters, some fans may be curious if Kanan will reprise his role in future seasons of the acclaimed series.
Kanan Has Hinted That He May Join the ‘Cobra Kai’ Cast
Getty Sean Kanan is photographed while wearing a leather jacket in 2014.
While it has not been confirmed, the 54-year-old has hinted Barnes may eventually be featured in the series, which is available on Netflix.
In a recent Reddit post, which was uploaded on the Cobra Kai subreddit, a fan with the username mrfushion shared a screenshot taken from Kanan’s Instagram account. The caption of the post included the hashtag “cobrakaicast.”
The Reddit user also posed the question, “Sean Kanan dropping hints about the return of Mike Barnes in Cobra Kai?”
A few commenters shared their opinions on the matter.
“That’s a big hint!!!” agreed a Reddit user under the name Bluyy.
“I want Sean to return and have an arc since he is too a Cobra Kai. I want him to be a neutral character that disagree[s] with Kreese and make[s] peace with Daniel. He could also be the guiding light for Robby & Tory to find balance and control in their lives,” wrote another commenter with the username, Greyfit3.
According to Page Six, the actor recently spoke about the likelihood of him joining the Cobra Kai cast. While being interviewed on the FanRoom Live, Kanan gave a vague answer about his character’s possible return to the San Fernando Valley.
“If I were to guess, [I’d say] you haven’t seen the last of Mike Barnes!” said the actor.
During a January interview with the Desert Sun, Kanan noted that he has been constantly asked on social media about being on Cobra Kai.
“I think (the creators) would like to work everybody in. At least 50 people a day hit me up on Instagram asking me if I’m coming back for season four. I think there’s a definite possibility, but I can neither confirm nor deny,” said the father-of-one.
Kanan Is a Soap Opera Star & an Author
Getty Sean Kanan strikes a pose in 2011.
The Desert Sun noted that since appearing in The Karate Kid Part III, Kanan has made an impact on daytime television. He has starred on quite a few soap operas, including General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful.
During the interview, Kanan spoke about his lengthy career. He told the publication:
There’s not too many people who are able to talk about what it’s like to work on a soap opera, or multiple soap operas, off and on for three decades know what that world’s like. I also know what it’s like to be a guy that’s no longer the young buck on the show matriculating into the category of the older mature veteran.
Kanan is also an author and recently penned the book Way of the Cobra. According to the motivational book’s website, readers will receive guidance to “release your inner bad a** using [Kanan’s] battle-tested tactics and time-proven strategies.”
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Sean Kanan Update: Why Fans Think He’ll Appear in Cobra Kai