A Glee reboot has officially been given the green light, with co-creator Ryan Murphy addressing the deaths of two of the show's major stars. The original Fox series, which aired for six seasons until 2015, is being revived after more than a decade off-air.
Reboot Confirmed After Long Discussions
The series, set at the fictional William McKinley High School in Ohio, followed a musical group competing in the show choir circuit. It became an international hit as it addressed social issues around sexuality, gender, family, relationships, race and more. The show featured Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Naya Rivera and Darren Criss, amongst others.
Murphy opened up to Bustle about the reboot, which has been in discussion for some time. He shared: "It was a really tough show to do, and it would be really hard to do it now that Naya [Rivera] is gone. But I do know that Glee fans would probably come after me with pitchforks and jazz hands if I said no."
Cast and Production Details
Deadline reported that Murphy had been in touch with "around ten of the original cast members", although no casting was announced as part of the series order. The move has been on the cards for a while, with Murphy regularly talking about its potential return over the last few months.
"That show is interesting because it's come back around. So many young people now watch it. And I'm like, 'Maybe we should revisit that show,'" he said in July. Less than two months later, he confirmed he had just finished a reboot script for the musical comedy series.
The reboot comes from 20th Television, which produced the original, but there is currently no information on a potential release date. The official Glee X account shared the news of the confirmed reboot, and fans flocked to the comments to call for the original cast to return, noting that it would not be the same without stars like Rivera.
Fan Reactions and Tragic Deaths
One fan said: "If I'm not seeing majority of the original cast I don't want it honey!" While another shared: "Do NOT kill off Santana!!! Just let her live happily ever after." Another agreed: "You touch Santana no one will watch it I'm so serious don't touch Brittana either." A fourth added: "IM EXCITED BUT SAD CAUSE IT'LL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT NAYA."
One fan demanded: "Bring sue back as principal + other cast members as guest stars/teachers this could be perfect omfg." Another viewer shared: "I don't see any of the original cast returning since their characters have all moved on, tho I do hope Jane Lynch returns! Without her the show wouldn't be the same I fear."
Finn Hudson actor Cory Monteith died by accidental overdose at the age of 31 back in July 2013, while Naya Rivera, who played Santana Lopez, died at the age of 33 from accidental drowning while visiting Lake Piru with her four-year-old son in July 2020. The original Glee series is available to stream on Disney+.
