MOVIE NEWS – The cult classic Knight Rider is finally heading to the big screen, and this revival offers a unique opportunity to revisit its most iconic arcs. The show had countless memorable villains and storylines that captivated audiences in the 1980s. Among them, the twisted tale of Garthe Knight — Michael Knight’s evil twin — stands out as a must for the new adaptation.

The team behind Netflix’s Cobra Kai reboot is adapting the beloved ’80s show, bringing Michael Knight and his talking car KITT to theaters. The franchise has plenty of rich lore to draw from, but one of the most fascinating storylines is that of Garthe Knight — not only Michael’s sinister double but also the man whose face the hero literally wears.

Michael Knight’s Evil Twin, Garthe, Would Be Perfect for the Movie

The story began in the pilot episode, “Knight of the Phoenix,” when LAPD Detective Michael Long (played by Larry Anderson, with his voice dubbed by David Hasselhoff) was shot in the face during an undercover assignment. Wilton Knight, the founder of Knight Industries and FLAG (Foundation for Law and Government), gave Long a new face and identity as Michael Knight, along with the advanced talking car KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand). The twist: Michael’s new face was identical — minus a mustache — to Wilton’s illegitimate and villainous son, Garthe, also portrayed by Hasselhoff.

After spending years in an African prison, Garthe wasn’t exactly thrilled to learn that someone with his face was driving around in his father’s creation. In Season 2’s premiere, “Goliath,” Garthe escapes and returns with a massive, deadly truck coated with the same molecular-bonded armor as KITT. Hasselhoff reveled in the chance to play against himself, and the show leaned heavily into the campy spectacle of having both characters share the screen.

Garthe and his truck, Goliath, later returned in “Goliath Returns,” but their story seemingly ended when they plunged off a cliff. While Garthe was mentioned briefly in Season 4 and appeared in Knight Rider video games like Lego Dimensions, his arc has never been officially continued — but perhaps the new movie could finally change that.

The Original Knight Rider Also Had an Evil KITT

It’s also worth noting that the original series introduced an evil twin for KITT. KARR (Knight Automated Roving Robot) debuted in Season 1’s “Trust Don’t Rust,” when two car thieves accidentally brought the prototype back to life. Once revived, KARR refused to return to being a dormant display model and went rogue, forcing Michael and KITT to stop him.

Appropriately, KARR was voiced by Peter Cullen — the legendary Optimus Prime — giving the storyline a crossover feel with another ’80s icon, Transformers. KARR appeared once more in “KITT Vs. KARR,” and even resurfaced as Garthe Knight’s vehicle in the PlayStation 2 games. With such a rich backstory to draw from, there’s a strong chance the Cobra Kai team could bring back Garthe, KARR, or maybe both in the upcoming Knight Rider movie.

Source: MovieWeb