It’s the age of the reboot, and television is reaching into its historical archives to resurrect some of the most iconic series of all time. Not all revivals are created equal, but these ten titles have audiences genuinely chomping at the bit. A great reboot captures the essence of the original while still forging its own path, a balance that’s not exactly easy to strike. Whether it’s a sequel, prequel, or full-blown remake — whether it’s shot-for-shot or loosely inspired — the next few years of TV promise a nostalgic ride.
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Once a novelty, reboots and revivals are now a major force in shaping the television landscape. With studios leaning more and more on their IP and audiences eager to revisit familiar worlds, these projects often see wild success, blending old with new, giving industry giants the chance to collaborate with green creators, and reimagining stories for a modern audience. These upcoming reboots are in various stages of development, but they are all highly anticipated, and they all have massive shoes to fill.
10) Friday Night Lights Reboot
Peacock is officially moving forward with a Friday Night Lights reboot, reimagining the world of Dillon High School football under new lights with entirely new characters. Original creative forces (showrunner Jason Katims, director Peter Berg, and producer Brian Grazer) are all returning to shape the revival. However, the setting and cast will reflect a modern Texas town recovering from a devastating hurricane rather than rehashing old plotlines. The series is designed to recapture the resonance of the original, while pivoting into current themes like rebuilding community, tech in sports, and shifting cultural dynamics.
If you were hoping for a return from Tim Riggins himself, there may still be hope, as while Taylor Kitsch refuses to reprise the role full-time, he also told SiriusXM’s Jessica Shaw, “Never say never, but I would come in and do something… maybe for an episode.” While many are dying to see him make an appearance, the show’s decision to separate the new narrative from the original suggests the possibility of a fresh approach and sets the upcoming series apart from many of the sequels and prequels on this list.
9) One Tree Hill Sequel Series
One Tree Hill is officially getting a sequel series on Netflix, set roughly 20 years after the original ended. The revival will feature Brooke Davis (Sophia Bush) and Peyton Sawyer (Hilarie Burton Morgan) as they navigate the challenges of parenting teens, juggling their complicated pasts while trying to create a better future. Both Bush and Burton Morgan are returning as leads and executive producers, a good sign that the new show will stay true to what fans loved.
The original series gained a devoted following thanks to its mix of heartfelt family and friendship drama, relatable coming-of-age struggles, and depiction of small-town life. Tonally, it brought both soap-opera-esque twists with sincere characters to root for, making it a standout in early 2000s teen drama. The new series will likely explore how these same themes have evolved in the characters’ adult lives.
8) Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair
Nearly 25 years after the original ended, Disney+ is doubling down on a hit sitcom with Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, a four‑episode limited revival set to release this December. Creator Linwood Boomer is back, and director Ken Kwapis is helming the mini-series. This story will center on adult Malcolm (Frankie Muniz), now a dad, who reluctantly returns home for his parents’ wedding anniversary, only to be plunged back into the Wilkerson family antics. Hal (Bryan Cranston), Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), Francis (Christopher Masterson), and Reese (Justin Berfield) will also return for the reunion.
One noteworthy change is that while Erik Per Sullivan will no longer play Dewey, the role has been filled by Caleb Ellsworth‑Clark, and even little brother Jamie will appear in full for the first time, played by Anthony Timpano. New additions include Malcolm’s daughter Leah (Keeley Karsten), his girlfriend Tristan (Kiana Madeira), and Kelly (Vaughan Murrae), a nonbinary child of Hal and Lois hinted at in the original finale. On X, Muniz described filming as “stepping back into Malcolm’s wild world but with all the love and chaos cranked to 11.”
7) Clueless Sequel Series
A cult classic that has since transcended teen comedy, Clueless defined a generation with its fashion-forward aesthetic, and quotable heroine Cher Horowitz, played by icon Alicia Silverstone. While the 1995 film inspired a short-lived TV spinoff and multiple stage versions, a true reboot series is now in development at Peacock, with Silverstone set to reprise her role.
Unlike previous reboot attempts, this one is a direct follow-up to the film, with Silverstone also serving as executive producer. She’s joined by original writer-director Amy Heckerling and producer Robert Lawrence; a strong creative link to the original. The show is also being developed by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The O.C., Gossip Girl) alongside Jordan Weiss (Dollface), giving fans hope that the result will be a modern, stylish continuation that doesn’t leave camp on the cutting room floor.
6) Community: The Movie
Community may not be coming back as another season, but the long-promised Community movie is officially happening at Peacock. Almost a decade after the beloved sitcom ended, the Greendale gang is reuniting on the big screen with Dan Harmon returning as writer and producer. Most of the original cast (including Joel McHale, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi, Chevy Chase, and Gillian Jacobs) are expected to reprise their roles in what has been mythologized as the fulfillment of the “six seasons and a movie” prophecy. And for a movie based on a legendary TV show, we thought it worthy of inclusion.
To live up to its predecessor, the Community movie will need to carry forward the same hilarious satire while updating its meta-humor for a new era. Why the creators have decided to stray from the television format into film remains to be seen, as Jeff Winger put it: “TV’s the best dad there is. TV never came home drunk. TV never forgot me at the zoo. TV never abused and insulted me. Unless you count Cop Rock.”
5) Elle (Legally Blonde Prequel Series)
Amazon’s Elle brings fans into Elle Woods’ high school years, years before she ever set foot in Harvard Law. Lexi Minetree was cast in the titular role earlier this year after an open casting call, chosen by Reese Witherspoon herself (who will also serve as executive producer). Created by Laura Kittrell, the series is produced alongside Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The O.C., Gossip Girl), with rollout expected in mid‑2026.
Elle will aim to replicate the formula of fashion, feminism, and romance while exploring the character’s formative moments. With Minetree in pink and Witherspoon creatively invested, they might just be able to pull it off. Returning fans will recognize new familiar faces, such as James Van Der Beek as Dean Wilson. At the end of the day, the show will have to revive the ’90s nostalgia and explore the budding ambition of a pre-law school Elle while holding its own against the original Legally Blonde movies.
4) Untitled Scrubs Reboot Project
After years of rumors and reunion panels, Scrubs is finally scrubbing back in. ABC has officially greenlit a revival of the comedy, with Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke returning as both stars and executive producers. Original series creator Bill Lawrence is also back, alongside writers Tim Hobert and Aseem Batra. While details are still under wraps, the new series is set to pick up years after the original finale, as J.D. and Turk reunite in a modern-day hospital setting full of new interns, changing medicine, and plenty of absurdist humor.
What made Scrubs so special was how it turned the medical procedural on its head with comedy filtered through J.D.’s surreal imagination. Fans of the sitcom are hopeful the revival will be able to capture the same comedic edge. Regardless, seeing the trio return will offer a chance to revisit some of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters.
3) King of the Hill Seasons 14 & 15
The King of the Hill revival earns its place on this list thanks to its brand new ten-episode season, which dropped on August 4th, and the fact that Hulu has already renewed it for Season 15 (planned for 2026). After a decade and a half hiatus, the show’s long-anticipated Season 14 brought fans back to Arlen with a twist: Bobby is now a chef, Hank and Peggy are adjusting to life back home after time abroad, and the town itself has changed in ways that better satirize today’s America.
Co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels have reunited as executive producers, alongside new showrunner Saladin K. Patterson. Familiar voices are back (Hank Hill, Peggy, Bobby, Bill, Boomhauer), while roles like Dale Gribble and John Redcorn have been recast due to the passing of their original actors. The new season has already received praise from both audiences and critics for honoring its roots while evolving in all the right ways.
2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer Revival
After years of speculation, production on Hulu’s Buffy sequel series is in full swing. While not a reboot that centers on Buffy Summers, Sarah Michelle Gellar will return in a supposting, mentor role, allowing the show to center on a new Slayer named Nova, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong. The pilot, directed by Oscar‑winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals), is scripted by Poker Face writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, and overseen by original exec producers, including Gail Berman and Dolly Parton, although Whedon is not involved.
The new series promises to explore modern anxieties involving social media and being an outcast through the lens of a teenage Slayer raised by a single parent, supported by a scrappy new gang reminiscent of Buffy’s group. Gellar has confirmed that while she initially said no to a revival, Zhao’s genuine fandom and the creative team’s passion convinced her to return, which, in all honesty, bodes well for us. The tone will be lighter than the original’s darker final seasons, and longtime fans may spot callbacks, but the highly anticipated Buffy reboot is currently positioned as a reinvention that honors the past while charting new ground.
1) Harry Potter (TV Series)
Perhaps the most highly anticipated and hotly debated reboot in recent memory, Harry Potter is being reimagined as an ambitious decade-long HBO Max television series from Warner Bros. Each season will adapt one book from J.K. Rowling’s original mega-hit novels, with the studio promising a “faithful” retelling more closely aligned with the wizarding world of the source material. Francesca Gardiner of Succession is acting as showrunner, and Rowling is attached as executive producer — an announcement that stirred controversy given her public statements and strained relations with the original film cast.
Some casting has now been officially confirmed: 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The ensemble also includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, and a wide supporting cast like Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.
Filming is already underway at Leavesden Studios, but fans are still divided. Some are eager for the chance to see forgotten subplots play out on screen. Meanwhile, others are skeptical in part due to the Fantastic Beasts spinoff films falling flat, and arguing that the original movies are still too recent (and definitive) to warrant a full-scale remake. Whether it becomes a generation-defining hit or a sticking point for the fandom, Harry Potter is guaranteed to dominate headlines all the way to its release.
Which reboot are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments.
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