Ralph Macchio had 'conversations' about a My Cousin Vinny sequel, looking for 'right angle' with Joe Pesci involved

Ralph Macchio has starred in a number of enduringly beloved films, but he knows exactly what fans want a reboot of most: My Cousin Vinny.

"Yeah, I've had conversations with other writers about that," he told PEOPLE at PaleyFest on Saturday, referring to the classic 1992 comedy. Macchio starred in the screwball-indebted courtroom comedy as the cousin of the titular Vinny Gambini, played by Joe Pesci. Macchio referred to the film as "a beloved piece," noting that crafting a reboot comes down to "finding the smart angle in."

When asked if Pesci would be involved, Macchio suggested, "He could FaceTime it in here" if on-set shooting would be too strenuous for the 82-year-old.

My Cousin Vinny tells the story of three bombastic Italian-Americans caught up in an over-the-top legal drama. Macchio's Bill Gambini is apprehended for the murder of a convenience store clerk that he did not commit after admitting to stealing a can of tuna from his shop. He calls in a favor from his uncle, a personal injury lawyer uncle named Vinny, who boasts a whole lot of swagger but a worryingly small track record of success. It ends up being testimony from Vinny's fiancée Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei) that proves pivotal in winning the case in Bill's favor — and winning Tomei an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

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Macchio is currently wrapping up a wildly successful riff on one of his beloved early-career projects: Cobra Kai, which is a series sequel to the Karate Kid films that Macchio anchored. "The fan service never comes before the ability to tell organic story with these compelling characters and allowing them to evolve," Macchio told Entertainment Weekly in the midst of shooting the series fifth season in 2022. "And that's why I think it's working so well."

The third part of Cobra Kai's sixth and final season dropped on Netflix last month, meaning Macchio is technically wide open for a new reboot or revival to swoop in and take over his life.

While Pesci himself hasn't been outspoken about his desire to get back in the courtroom as Vinny Gambini, Tomei has fondly called back to the film over the years.

In 2017, the actress told CinemaBlend that the one character she'd love to reprise is Mona Lisa Vito: "Well, you know, I always wanted to do a My Cousin Vinny sequel, even though it's so long ago...I think Joe and I would still have so much fun."