Lea Michele at San Diego Comic-Con International, July 12, 2015. Photo: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Gleeks, warm up your vocal cords. More than a decade after the McKinley High glee club took its final bow, Glee is officially coming back. Disney+ and Hulu have given a reboot of the musical dramedy a series order, and according to Variety, the show's biggest star is returning too: Lea Michele will play Rachel Berry again.
Key points
- Disney+ and Hulu have officially ordered a Glee reboot from 20th Television.
- Variety reports, citing multiple sources, that Lea Michele will return as Rachel Berry. The Hollywood Reporter says she is in talks.
- No premiere date, episode count or plot details have been announced.
- Other original cast members have not been confirmed.
What's Confirmed
- Series order: Disney+ and Hulu have officially ordered a Glee reboot, as reported by Variety, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and the BBC on October 21, 2026.
- Studio: The new series comes from 20th Television, the studio that produced the original (Deadline).
- The original: Glee ran for six seasons on Fox from 2009 to 2015, following the New Directions glee club at William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio.
- Not announced yet: No premiere date, episode count or plot details have been released. The Hollywood Reporter notes there are "next to no details" beyond the series order.
Who's Returning (and Who Isn't Confirmed Yet)
Lea Michele is the headline name. Variety reports, citing multiple sources, that she is returning as Rachel Berry. The Hollywood Reporter describes her as "in talks" to reprise the role, so the deal may still be finalizing. Reps for Michele and Murphy did not comment to Variety.
According to Variety, two other original stars, Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce) and Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans), have shared social media posts that seem to hint they're coming back too. Neither has been officially announced.
Deadline notes that no casting was announced as part of the series order, so fan favorites like Chris Colfer, Jane Lynch, Kevin McHale, Amber Riley, Darren Criss, Dianna Agron and Matthew Morrison are not confirmed at this stage.
Ryan Murphy's Plan
The reboot has been building for months. Co-creator Ryan Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter in August that he was "considering" a return. In September, he told Entertainment Tonight that he had "just finished the script" with fellow co-creators Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, and that he had "been in touch with around 10 of the original cast members," who were "very enthusiastic about the idea" (via Variety).
THR reports that the creators' names weren't in Disney's announcement, though sources say that's likely just paperwork.
Michele, for her part, told E! News weeks earlier: "I love 'Glee.' I will always love 'Glee'... I will follow Ryan wherever he goes" (via Variety).
Glee's Legacy
Glee was a pop-culture phenomenon. Per Deadline, it won six Emmys, including for Murphy (directing the pilot) and Jane Lynch, and it still draws around 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify, according to Disney. Michele earned an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations for playing Rachel, a character whose Broadway dreams ended with a Tony win in the 2015 finale. In real life, Michele later starred as Fanny Brice in Broadway's Funny Girlrevival, the role Rachel had always dreamed of.
The show's story also carries real loss. Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, died in 2013, and Naya Rivera, the beloved Santana Lopez, died in 2020. Any return to McKinley High will happen in their memory, and fans are sure to feel their absence.
Fan Reaction
The news quickly trended on X, where longtime Gleeks celebrated the return of the New Directions and started guessing which songs the cast might cover now. Murphy himself has pointed out that "so many young people now watch" the show, which streams on Hulu (Deadline).
What's Next
Watch for official casting announcements, confirmation of Murphy, Falchuk and Brennan's roles, and a production timeline. Until then, the Variety report on Michele is the biggest piece of the puzzle.
Why it matters
Glee was one of the biggest TV hits of its era and still has a large audience on streaming and Spotify. A reboot gives Disney a ready-made fan base, and Michele's reported return adds a familiar face. Until casting and creative teams are officially announced, most details remain unconfirmed.
FAQ
Is Glee really getting a reboot?
Yes. Disney+ and Hulu have officially ordered a reboot from 20th Television.
Is Lea Michele returning as Rachel Berry?
Variety reports she is, citing multiple sources. THR says she's in talks.
When will the Glee reboot premiere?
No release date has been announced.
Where can I watch the original Glee?
The original series streams on Hulu.
Sources
- Variety, "Glee Reboot Officially Set at Disney+ and Hulu"
- Variety, "Lea Michele Returning for Glee Reboot as Rachel Berry"
- Variety, "Ryan Murphy Says He 'Just Finished the Script'"
- Deadline, "Glee Reboot Lands Series Order at Disney+ & Hulu"
- The Hollywood Reporter, "Lea Michele in Talks for Glee Return"
- BBC News
- Photo
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