Glee Creator Wanted Justin Timberlake to Play Major Role

By Jenna Anderson

While Glee has been off the air for the better part of a decade, the series is often not far from the minds of its fans. The comedy-musical series, which aired on Fox from 2009 to 2015, boasted an ensemble cast that was undeniably memorable — but it sounds like one lead role was almost drastically different. During an appearance on the And That's What You REALLY Missed podcast, which is hosted by Glee alums Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz, Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy revealed that the role of Will Schuester was almost played by pop star and actor Justin Timberlake, indicating that "that pilot was written for Justin Timberlake, Mr. Schue." Additionally, Murphy revealed that co-creator Ian Brennan pitched the idea of Schuester, who ultimately was played by Matthew Morrison, to be a crystal meth addict.

"It was sort of like Election, but the NC-17 version of show choir with a weird protagonist who was unraveling," said Murphy. "What I loved was the idea of kids in high school … it seems like shows that work or TV experiences work feature people going through first times." 

Where is Glee streaming?

Earlier this year, Glee moved from its previous streaming home of Netflix to both Disney+ and Hulu, allowing a whole new audience to experience the series.

Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, Glee followed the lives of the members of a show choir in Lima, Ohio. The series starred Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer, Naya Rivera, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Dianna Agron, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Harry Shum Jr., Chord Overstreet, Darren Criss, and Melissa Benoist. The series also had an array of guest stars and recurring cast members, including (but not limited to) Gwyneth Paltrow, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Kristin Chenoweth, Demi Lovato, and Cheyenne Jackson.

Will there be a Glee reboot?

In recent years, fans have wondered if a continuation of the show could be in the cards in some way, especially after Murphy took to Instagram in 2020 to suggest the idea of reimagining the pilot with Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein, neither of whom starred on the original show.

"Imagine it's 2009, and I lived in a world where I knew Lea Michele, Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein (Ben and Beanie, I believe, were in high school then...and I think they dressed up as Glee characters once for Halloween?) If I had access to that talent, here's the new pilot: Lea and Ben are frenemies who fight for the heart and soul of Glee Club," Murphy wrote on social media in 2020. "Ben is also on the football team, and pretty much sleeps with the entire school and is the heartthrob of McKinley. Beanie is their mutual best friend, and torn. Suddenly, Beanie joins forces with Sue Sylvester, joins Glee Club and becomes the main soloist and the ruthless star of the club. Lea and Ben have to then join forces to dethrone her. I WANT TO SHOOT THIS DO OVER PILOT. Maybe I will?"

Additionally, Fox Entertainment President Michael Thorn addressed the possibility of Glee returning while in a 2021 interview. 

"We always welcome celebrating our iconic shows and revisiting those with surprising takes and new approaches so, especially in this crowded market, we're always open to reinventing our best IP with some of our favorite partners," Thorn explained at the time.

What do you think of Ryan Murphy wanting Justin Timberlake to star in Glee? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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