40 Years Later, This '80s Cult Classic Star Officially Wants a Reboot, 'Cobra Kai' Style [Exclusive]

Image via Everett Collection Published Aug 11, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT Sign in to your Collider account The success of the streaming series Cobra Kai brought The Karate Kid back with a modern-day twist and proved that the martial arts epics of the 1980s still have resonance in the modern day. Now, one of the stars of John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China has a similar idea for that film. Actor James Pax discussed the movie's legacy at a panel marking its 40th anniversary at Big Lick Comic Con, which was moderated by Collider's Maggie Lovitt. Pax starred as Lightning alongside Kurt Russell in Big Trouble; he also appeared in movies like Invasion USA, Year of the Dragon, and Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects. He's become a regular at conventions, and is often asked about a sequel to the movie. He knows exactly what he'd do with it, and thinks it could run four or five seasons: "I said, well, you know, 20th Century Fox has the rights, and they haven't done it for 40 years. But then why do they do Karate Kid and make it into Cobra Kai, and not Big Trouble, right? So I say to myself, I'm a director now, and I'm a screenwriter; I'm going to take the helm and be the writer and the director. So the next time when I see Kurt, I'm gonna tell him: 'Kurt! You wanna partner up with me? I'm gonna write it, I'm gonna direct it, and you're still gonna be the star of it, but we're gonna put some younger guys in it, and make it a sequel, but then there'll be some episodes with prequel in it.' You know, I think he's gonna be very excited." A belated follow-up to The Karate Kid films, Cobra Kai starred Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as one-time teenage karate rivals Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively. Decades away from their 1980s enmity, they find themselves in conflict again when they open their own warring dojos. The series ran for six seasons and 65 episodes, premiering in 2018 on now-defunct streaming service YouTube Red before concluding on Netflix. Who's Your Perfect Classic Rock Band? Classic Rock Personality Quiz Who's Your PerfectClassic Rock Band? A Personality Quiz · 10 Questions Five legendary bands. One perfect match. Answer 10 questions about your personality, attitude, and taste to find out which classic rock icon you truly belong with. Are you raw power, rolling swagger, operatic drama, thunderous riffs, or timeless melody? ⚡AC/DC 👅Rolling Stones 🤘Metallica 👑Queen 🎸The Beatles Begin Quiz → 01 How do you walk into a room? Choose the answer that feels most like you. ALike a freight train — loud, fast, and everyone knows I've arrived. BWith a slow, cool swagger — I take my time and own every step. CHead down, focused — I'm here for a purpose and small talk isn't it. DWith total confidence and a flair for the dramatic — all eyes on me. EWarmly and curiously — genuinely excited to see what and who is here. Next Question → 02 What does your ideal Friday night look like? ALoud bar, cold beer, cranked jukebox — the louder the better. BA smoky club, good company, and doing whatever feels right in the moment. CIntense concert or staying in with headphones — nothing in between. DSomething theatrical — a show, a dinner party, an experience worth remembering. EHanging with close friends, maybe making music, keeping it relaxed and genuine. Next Question → 03 What's your philosophy on keeping things simple vs. complex? ASimple is king. A great riff repeated perfectly beats any amount of cleverness. BKeep it loose and bluesy — the groove matters more than technical perfection. CGo deep and dark — I want layers, tension, and something that hits hard. DWhy not both? Elaborate arrangements and hook-driven anthems can coexist. ECraft every detail — a perfect melody is the result of countless small choices. Next Question → 04 How would your friends describe your personal style? ANo-frills, no-nonsense — jeans, a t-shirt, and ready to go. BEffortlessly cool — slightly dishevelled in a way that somehow always works. CDark and deliberate — black is a lifestyle, not just a colour. DBold and expressive — fashion is a form of performance for me. EClean and classic — timeless over trendy, always put-together. Next Question → 05 How do you want to be remembered? AAs someone who never let the energy drop — relentless, loud, and alive. BAs someone who lived fully and on my own terms, unapologetically. CAs someone who was brutally honest and made music that meant something real. DAs someone who transcended genres, boundaries, and expectations entirely. EAs someone who changed the world — and left it genuinely better than I found it. Next Question → 06 What kind of crowd do you want around you? APeople who are there to have a blast — no pretension, just pure fun and noise. BA mix of rebels and free spirits who don't take themselves too seriously. CA loyal, passionate crew who are all in — intensity over numbers every time. DEveryone — I want to unite people who wouldn't normally be in the same room. EPeople who appreciate craft and feel genuinely connected by the music. Next Question → 07 If you were writing a song, what would it be about? AHaving a good time, turning it up, and not overthinking it. BStreet life, desire, and the rawness of being human. CAnger, grief, war, or the darker side of the world — music as a weapon. DSomething epic and emotional — love, loss, triumph, or pure fantasy. ESomething personal and universal at once — a feeling everyone can recognise. Next Question → 08 What's your secret to staying relevant over time? ANever change the formula — if it works, it works. Consistency is everything. BStay hungry, stay dangerous, and always keep a bit of that rebellious edge. CEarn respect through dedication — the work and the live show speak for themselves. DReinvent constantly — never let anyone put you in a box or predict your next move. EWrite songs so good they can't be ignored, in any decade, in any context. Next Question → 09 You're playing to 80,000 people. What does your performance look like? AA wall of sound and sweat — pure, unfiltered energy from first note to last. BLoose, cool, and dangerous — every song feels like it might fall apart but never does. CBrutal precision — tight, powerful, and leaving no one unmoved. DA full spectacle — lights, costumes, vocal acrobatics, and total theatrical command. EWarm, joyful, and tight — the crowd singing every word back at you. Next Question → 10 Pick the word that best sums up your relationship with rock music. This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully. ARaw — stripped back, high-voltage, no frills. BRolling — fluid, dangerous, built on blues and attitude. CHeavy — powerful, honest, uncompromising. DMajestic — theatrical, boundary-defying, unforgettable. ETimeless — melodic, human, built to last forever. See My Result → Your Result Your Perfect Band Is RevealedBased on your personality, energy, and taste, the classic rock band that matches your soul is… ⚡ AC/DCYou are pure, undiluted rock energy. You don't need tricks, trends, or theatrical gimmicks — you have something more powerful: a riff that hits like a thunderbolt and an attitude that never wavers. Like AC/DC, you understand that simplicity executed with absolute conviction is its own form of genius. You're the person in the room who doesn't overthink it, doesn't pretend, and never turns the volume down. The highway to hell is a state of mind — and you've been on it since day one. 👅 The Rolling StonesYou've got swagger that can't be taught. Rooted in the blues and soaked in street-level attitude, you move through life with a loose, dangerous elegance that draws people in without ever trying too hard. Like the Stones, you've seen it all, done most of it, and somehow look better for it. You're not chasing perfection — you're chasing truth, groove, and that electric moment when everything clicks. Can't always get what you want? You tend to get it anyway. 👑 QueenYou are magnificent, and you know it — not from arrogance, but from an unshakeable sense of self that has never needed anyone's permission. Like Queen, you defy every category people try to place you in. You blend the epic with the intimate, the operatic with the anthemic, the serious with the playful. You live boldly, love fiercely, and perform every aspect of your life as though the whole world is watching. Because sometimes it is. We are the champions — and so are you. 🎸 The BeatlesYou have the rarest of gifts: the ability to make something that feels both deeply personal and universally human. Like The Beatles, you're a natural connector — someone whose warmth, curiosity, and creative instincts draw people together across every divide. You believe in melody, in craftsmanship, and in the quiet power of a song that says exactly what someone needed to hear. You've changed the people around you just by being who you are. All you need is love — and you give it generously. ↩ Retake Quiz What Is 'Big Trouble in Little China' About? Russell stars as macho trucker Jack Burton, who attempts to come to the rescue when Miao Yin (Suzee Pai), the fiancée of his pal Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), gets abducted by a local gang. Thanks to lawyer Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall), they trace the abduction to David Lo Pan (James Hong), a respected elderly businessman who's actually an immortal sorcerer. They're no match for his powers, or for the three mighty elemental warriors in his service: Thunder (Carter Wong), Rain (Peter Kwong), and Lightning (Pax). What's more, Lo Pan now plans to take Gracie as his bride...and he's stolen Jack's beloved truck, the Pork Chop Express. Jack and Wang are going to have to team up with eccentric wizard and tour bus driver Egg Shen (Victor Wong) to take down Lo Pan once and for all. While the movie was not a box office success upon its release in 1986, it has since become a cult classic. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates. Release Date May 30, 1986 Runtime 99 minutes Director John Carpenter Writers Gary Goldman, David Z. Weinstein, W.D. Richter