'Glee' reboot is official at Disney+ and Hulu, and Lea Michele is reportedly back as Rachel Berry

“Glee” is coming back. Disney+ and Hulu have greenlit a reboot of Ryan Murphy’s musical dramedy, which ran on Fox from 2009 to 2015. Disney announced it through the show’s social media accounts on Wednesday, Oct. 21, according to the BBC. “Glee reboot” passed 20,000 US searches on Google Trends. Many of the related queries were about Harry Shum Jr., who has been reminding audiences of his Glee days on “Dancing with the Stars.”

What’s confirmed

Not much yet. Disney said only that the series is produced by 20th Television and will stream on Hulu and Disney+, Variety reported. No premiere date, plot details or official cast list have been released.

Murphy had already laid the groundwork. He told Entertainment Tonight that he had written a reboot script with original co-creators Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, and that he’d been in touch with “around 10 of the original cast members.” “They all had a lot of questions but they all were very enthusiastic about the idea,” he said, according to the BBC. “Nobody’s read it, so we’ll see.”

Is Lea Michele coming back?

Variety reports yes. Citing multiple sources, the outlet said Lea Michele will return as Rachel Berry, the show’s ambitious lead. “She’s in,” one source told Variety. Reps for Michele and Murphy didn’t comment, so treat it as reported rather than officially announced.

Two other original stars posted on social media in ways that suggest they’re returning too, Variety said: Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce) and Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans). Overstreet wrote, “Reunited and it feels so good!”

Others have been more cautious. Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) told Bustle that a reboot would be “really hard to do it now that Naya is gone.” He added that “Glee fans would probably come after me with pitchforks and jazz hands if I said no.”

What about Harry Shum Jr.?

Shum played Mike Chang and is currently competing on “Dancing with the Stars.” Earlier this month he reunited there with former co-star Amber Riley, the BBC noted. The reboot announcement hasn’t said whether he’ll be part of the new series. Any reports otherwise are speculation until Disney or Murphy confirms the cast.

A look back

“Glee” followed the misfit singers of New Directions at McKinley High in Lima, Ohio. It became a cultural phenomenon, known for covers like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “River Deep, Mountain High” and “Smooth Criminal.” It also took on sexuality, race, disability and mental health, sometimes bluntly, Variety noted. The cast once passed the Beatles for the most Billboard Hot 100 appearances by a non-solo act, according to the BBC. The music still draws about 4.1 million monthly Spotify listeners, per Variety.

The show also carries real grief. Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson) died of an overdose in 2013. Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez) drowned in 2020 at 33 while saving her young son. Mark Salling died by suicide in 2018 after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography.

FAQ

Is there a Glee reboot? Yes, at Disney+ and Hulu, from 20th Television.

When does it come out? No release date has been announced.

Who’s in the cast? Nothing is official. Variety reports Lea Michele is returning, and Heather Morris and Chord Overstreet have hinted they’re in.