Disney Brings Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith’s ‘In Real Life’ Concept to Life with Help from Cobra Kai Producers

Disney Secures New Comedy Spec "In Real Life" from Notable Writers

In a significant move, Disney has acquired In Real Life, an upcoming comedy spec penned by writers Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith. The project will be produced by Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald, recognized for their work on the successful Netflix series Cobra Kai through their production company, Counterbalance.

While representatives from Disney declined to provide comments, insiders describe the film as a blend of a contemporary romantic comedy and a female buddy comedy. Details regarding the plot remain confidential. Dina Hillier will serve as executive producer for Counterbalance, with Julia Virtue co-producing.

Yuspa and Goldsmith have established a strong reputation in the industry, most notably for writing the original 13 Going on 30, which starred Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo and is currently developing a sequel at Netflix. Additionally, they created What Women Want, featuring Helen Hunt and Mel Gibson. This film is celebrated as one of the highest-grossing romantic comedies of all time, garnering over $374 million worldwide.

Their recent projects include the musical adaptation of 13 Going on 30, which debuted in the UK and is considering a run in London’s West End. The duo has also worked on television, serving as co-creators and showrunners for Disney+’s The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers and leading the long-running CBS series The King of Queens. They are represented by CAA and Hansen, Jacobson.

The trio from Counterbalance—Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald—are well-known for their creation of Cobra Kai, a sequel series to The Karate Kid that gained acclaim over six seasons on Netflix, earning 11 Emmy nominations. Their prior credits include the Harold & Kumar franchise, the comedies Blockers and American Reunion, while Heald is known for his work on the Hot Tub Time Machine series.

Most recently, Counterbalance produced 72 Hours, an upcoming bachelor party comedy for Netflix directed by Tim Story and starring Kevin Hart. The team is also involved in writing, producing, and directing a reimagined version of Knight Rider for Universal Pictures, along with a new installment in the Harold & Kumar series for New Line.

Hurwitz, Schlossberg, and Heald are all represented by CAA, with Hurwitz and Schlossberg also represented by Hansen Jacobson, while Heald is represented by Behr Abramson.