The “Glee” reboot is official; its cast is not. Disney+ and Hulu gave the revival a series order on Wednesday, October 21, with 20th Television producing, and the show’s official announcement read, “It’s official. Glee is returning.” In the days since, the trades have reported a round of talks with original cast members — and on the show’s original star, the two leading trades have framed the same story two different ways.
Deadline reported on October 23 that Heather Morris and Chord Overstreet are in talks to return. Morris played Brittany S. Pierce in the original series, and Overstreet played Sam Evans. Both actors had already signaled their enthusiasm in public. Morris posted that her character “is alive and well … and back for more,” and Overstreet wrote on X, “Reunited and it feels so good!” Neither post is a casting announcement, and neither actor’s return has been confirmed by Disney.
Rachel Berry is where the versions part. Variety reported, hours after the series order, that Lea Michele will return as Rachel Berry, citing multiple sources; one source told the magazine, “She’s in,” and a second said, “It’s still early-ish days, but it feels good and we’re happy to get the band back together.” Deadline, working its own sources, framed Michele’s status as in talks, and TheWrap likewise reported that she is in talks to reprise the role. Representatives for Disney and for Michele declined to comment, and Disney has announced no casting for the reboot. Both versions are printed here: Variety’s, that she is in, and Deadline’s, that she is in talks.
Other original cast members are being asked, and are answering carefully. Chris Colfer, who played Kurt Hummel, told Bustle he knows nothing about the revival but would consider returning, joking that fans would come after him “with pitchforks and jazz hands” if he declined. Disney’s own announcement, beyond the returning line, offered no plot, no production details and no names — only the order itself.
One original regular is, for now, on the outside of the reporting. Deadline reported that Matthew Morrison, who played glee club director Will Schuester, is not in talks to appear at this time, though he is hopeful of being included.
The reboot comes from the show’s original creators. Ryan Murphy told Entertainment Tonight in September that he, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan had finished a script — “We have a script,” Murphy said — and that he had been in touch with around 10 of the original cast members. They had a lot of questions, he said, but they were all enthusiastic about the idea. Murphy had first floated a return in an interview with People, after noting that a younger generation had rediscovered the original series on social media: “So many young people now watch it. Maybe we should revisit that show.”
“Glee” ran for six seasons on Fox from 2009 to 2015, and all six seasons stream on Hulu, the reboot’s future home alongside Disney+. No premiere date, episode count or plot details for the new series have been announced. Every cast name attached to the reboot so far — Michele, Morris and Overstreet — rests on trade reporting and the actors’ own social media posts, not on any announcement from Disney.
The Facts
- Disney+ and Hulu gave the “Glee” reboot a series order on October 21, with 20th Television producing; the official announcement read, “It’s official. Glee is returning.”
- Heather Morris (Brittany) and Chord Overstreet (Sam) are in talks to return (Deadline); both teased returns on their own social media.
- Lea Michele as Rachel Berry: Variety reported via multiple sources that she “is in”; Deadline framed her status as “in talks.” Disney has officially announced no casting.
- Matthew Morrison is not in talks at this time but is hopeful of being included (Deadline).
- Ryan Murphy told Entertainment Tonight in September that a script with co-creators Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan was finished and that he had contacted about 10 original cast members.
Sources: Variety; Deadline; TheWrap; Entertainment Tonight; People.
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