Cobra Kai’s creators are trying it again with another nostalgic 1980s тιтle, as they’re reportedly developing a movie adaptation of the 42-year-old David Hᴀsselhoff cult classic TV show Knight Rider.
He’s since become a singing star beloved by the people of Germany, but Hᴀsselhoff first gained fame on 1980s American television playing Michael Knight, a crime fighter equipped with a super-advanced, heavily-armed, artificially intelligent talking Trans Am named KITT.
It’s been 42 years since Hᴀsselhoff drove to stardom on TV’s Knight Rider, and the cult classic show is at last getting a movie adaptation, with Cobra Kai’s Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald set to produce for Universal (via THR). Heald, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg will team up on the script, with Hurwitz and Schlossberg taking on directing duties.
What This Means For Knight Rider’s Long Reboot Development History
The original Knight Rider show ran from 1982 until 1986. Later revivals came in the form of TV movies Knight Rider 2000 and Knight Rider 2010 (released in 1991 and 1994 respectively), the straightforwardly тιтled pilot movie Knight Rider (2008), as well as the syndicated Team Knight Rider series (1997-98).
Talk of a Knight Rider reboot has cropped up off-and-on over the past 15 years. Chris Pratt and Danny McBride were at one point attached to a movie revival, while Justin Lin was later attached to a digital web series based on the show. Neither project came to fruition.
Hᴀsselhoff himself revealed in 2017 that he and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn had discussed making a Knight Rider movie. That same year, Hᴀsselhoff said he had a conversation with Robert Rodriguez about making a Logan-style Michael Knight send-off film. Neither happened.
Gunn said in 2022 that he and Hᴀsselhoff had discussed making a Knight Rider project many times, but proclaimed himself too busy to tackle the project.
2017 was indeed a busy year for Knight Rider reboot stories, as in August, it was reported that Kevin Hart and John Cena were being eyed to star in a 21 Jump Street-style comedic re-angling. A few years later, James Wan was reported to be looking at remaking Knight Rider.
From all those unrealized projects, it’s evident that getting a Knight Rider movie off the ground has been easier said than done. There is arguably more reason for optimism this time around, however, given the involvement of the creators of Cobra Kai, a team that’s proven they know just what to do with a classic 1980s franchise.
Our Take On Knight Rider Finally Getting A Movie Version
Cobra Kai brought Karate Kid back to life by honoring the franchise’s legacy while introducing new characters who successfully carried the story forward. It’s yet to be seen how the Cobra Kai team will tackle Knight Rider, but their track record suggests they’ll be faithful to the lore, but not shy about taking things in sometimes crazy new directions.
Knight Rider may not be the most iconic of 1980s TV shows, but its premise could make for a solid movie, especially given how obsessed the culture is with AI. KITT was indeed the original AI supercar, and it’s about time he got a chance to burn rubber on the big screen.
