Disney+ and Hulu have officially ordered a reboot of the musical comedy series Glee. According to Deadline, the series order comes after co-creator Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, Nip/Tuck, The Shards) spent several months discussing the possibility of bringing the series back.
The original Glee ran for six seasons on Fox from 2009 to 2015. Set at William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, the series followed the members of the New Directions glee club as they competed in show choir competitions while navigating relationships and social issues. Musical performances were also featured throughout the series.
Murphy co-created the original series alongside Ian Brennan (Scream Queens, The Politician, Hollywood) and Brad Falchuk (American Horror Story, Scream Queens, 9-1-1). Glee became Murphy’s first major broadcast television breakthrough following his work on Popular and Nip/Tuck. Murphy also won his first Emmy Award for directing the show’s pilot episode.
In September, Murphy revealed that he had finished writing a script for the reboot. He also said he had been in contact with around 10 members of the original cast, although no casting announcements were made alongside the new series order.
The original cast included Chris Colfer (Struck by Lightning, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Hot in Cleveland), Jane Lynch (Only Murders in the Building, Best in Show, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Kevin McHale (True Blood, When We Rise, The X Factor: Celebrity), Lea Michele (Scream Queens, New Year’s Eve, The Mayor), Matthew Morrison (What to Expect When You’re Expecting, American Horror Story: 1984, Grey’s Anatomy) and Dianna Agron (I Am Number Four, Shiva Baby, The Family).
Other cast members included Amber Riley (Single Black Female, The Wiz Live!, Nobody’s Fool), Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Hollywood, The Muppets Mayhem), Cory Monteith (Monte Carlo, Kyle XY, Sisters & Brothers), Naya Rivera (Step Up: High Water, Devious Maids, The Royal Family) and Mark Salling (Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering, The Graveyard, Rocky Road). Monteith died in 2013, while Rivera died in 2020.
Colfer recently addressed the possibility of returning to the series, telling Bustle that making the original show was difficult and that returning would be especially challenging without Rivera. However, he acknowledged the continued enthusiasm surrounding the series among its fans.
The reboot will come from 20th Television, which also produced the original series. Glee earned six Emmy Awards during its original run, including wins for Murphy and Lynch, as well as guest stars Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother, Gone Girl, A Series of Unfortunate Events) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love, Iron Man, The Talented Mr. Ripley).
The original series currently streams on Hulu, and Disney said the show’s music continues to attract approximately 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
Casting and a premiere date for the Glee reboot have not yet been announced.