Is Back to the Future Getting the Cobra Kai Treatment? Show Creators Explain That Series Finale Easter Egg (Exclusive)

The final scene of the final episode of Cobra Kai is a pitch-perfect callback to a scene in the original 1984 Karate Kid movie where Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) surprises Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) by catching a fly with his chopsticks. Only this time, Daniel is dining with former rival Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), who, in true “strike first” fashion, swats the fly with his hand before Daniel can catch it.

But that scene also featured a major Easter egg.

Eagle-eyed fans surely caught the conversation the gentlemen at the bar were having before the cameras landed on Daniel and Johnny’s table. Those men were two of the three Cobra Kai co-creators, Josh Heald and Jon Hurwitz — and they were discussing the possibility of doing a Back to the Future series next.

“So the show would be set in Hill Valley, alternate 1985,” Hurwitz says. “All we need are Wilson, Thompson and Zane, and we’ve got the green light.”

“Billy’s a friend,” Heald replies. “Guy did an art piece for my foyer. It’s an easy call to make. I feel like why not get Crispin, too? Maybe Mike to direct? We can blow this thing up.”

They are, of course, referring to Back to the Future stars Thomas F. Wilson (who played Biff), Lea Thompson (Lorraine McFly), Billy Zane (Biff’s pal Match), Crispin Glover (a.k.a. George McFly) and that possible director “Mike” is, naturally, original franchise star Michael J. Fox.

So, is this for real? Are the three executive producers (with Hayden Schlossberg) who famously called The Karate Kid

 their Star Wars and created a hit six-season series out of that fandom, going to tackle Back to the Future next?

“That’s just us having fun,” Hurwitz told PEOPLE at SCAD TVfest earlier this month. “We know that the Back to the Future franchise is something that’s very closely guarded — and for good reason. If they ever decided they wanted to have a sequel series, then we’d be all-in.

Heald added: “Everything I’ve read about them makes it seem like they’re looking for somebody to come in and pitch them an idea, so we’ll see.”

A few days later, at the Cobra Kai finale event, Heald reiterated: “Everything I’ve read and everything I understand — and maybe I haven’t checked the trades in a couple of weeks — but the Bobs [Back to the Future screenwriter Bob Gale and director Robert Zemeckis] want this to happen. They’ve been asking for years for somebody to come in and revolutionize the Back to the Future universe. And I say, who better than us? But it’s really up to them at the end of the day. So I’m curious if they have any thoughts on that.”

When asked about Gale’s recent “f— you” comments to reporters about a fourth movie in the BTTF franchise, Heald said, “It’s the chase. They’re definitely negging us. … That’s how the union is born.”

At SCAD TVfest, Schlossberg confirmed the trio is considering other franchises to put their spin on. “It’s not always so easy, you know. There’s rights and creative people involved with those that are still alive and don’t want to do anything. But we’re hovering around like potential evil real estate tycoons ready to take whatever,” he said with a laugh.

Said Hurwitz at the premiere, “Whether it’s Back to the Future or some other property from the ’80s or ’90s that we loved, this was a dream come true for us. Making Cobra Kai is everything we would’ve wanted it to be. And we weren’t just fans of The Karate Kid, we’re fans of lots of other properties from our childhood.”

“SpaceCamp, Iron Eagle, all the things,” chimed in Schlossberg.

“Ghostbusters. I mean, there are so many things that would be great,” concluded Hurwitz.