Star of Cobra Kai Lands New Series On HBO Max
Since facing off against rival karate dojos on Netflix’s Emmy-nominated show, Cobra Kai, opportunities have been rolling in left and right for the actor
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Fans of Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña are going to be seeing a lot more of the talented young actor as Variety reports that he’s nabbed the leading role in HBO Max’s The Ledger. The high action series will see Maridueña as Gabriel, a pupil hoping to right the wrongs of his teacher. After his mentor destroyed countless lives, leaving nothing but destruction in his wake, Gabriel takes the man’s ledger and goes on a long distance journey hoping to turn things around for those affected by his leader.
Not only will Xolo Maridueña be starring in front of the camera, but the performer will take a turn behind it as well, serving as an executive producer on the show. He’ll be joined on the production side of things by Will Packer Media’s Will Packer and Valor Entertainment Group’s Brandon Guzmán. 9-1-1 and Nikita producer, Juan Carlos Coto, will also serve as an executive producer as well as pen the series.
Since facing off against rival karate dojos on Netflix’s Emmy-nominated show, Cobra Kai, opportunities have been rolling in left and right for Xolo Maridueña. The first season of the series picks up 34 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament depicted in the film, The Karate Kid, and reveals the original film’s main characters to be dojo owners of their own now. A member of the titular dojo, Maridueña’s character, Miguel Diaz is a good guy on the show and is trained by Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). Season 4 of the series came out on December 31, 2021 to much critical and fan acclaim with Season 5 expected to land on the streaming service later this year.
Prior to his time kicking butt at the All Valley Karate Tournament, Xolo Maridueña had his breakthrough role in NBC’s Parenthood. Holding down the part of Victor Graham during seasons 3-6, the young actor would star alongside Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, and Mae Whitman in the family dramedy.
Just before the exciting news surrounding his casting in The Ledger, it was revealed that Xolo Maridueña was tapped for his first superhero film. Setting his alliances with the DCEU, Maridueña will step into the titular role in the upcoming film, Blue Beetle. Based on the hero from the comic books, the film will center around Maridueña’s character, who, after coming into contact with an alien beetle, is given superpowered armor making him a formidable opponent to fight villains everywhere. While nothing more has been revealed about the plot at this time, we do know that the rest of the cast will be made up of Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, Sharon Stone, Raoul Trujillo, and Harvey Guillén.
These days, breaking into a superhero-based universe is a big deal. With DC, which is hot on the heels of its HBO Max hit, Peacemaker, Xolo Maridueña’s possibilities are truly endless. Should Blue Beetle perform well, there’s no telling what could come from it. Meanwhile, to also have a separate series in the works at HBO Max is just the icing on the cake. While he may be young, there’s no telling just how far Maridueña’s career will take him over the next few years.
