The Degrassi franchise is making a comeback.
HBO Max on Thursday confirmed a series order for Degrassi, which will consist of 10 hour-long episodes and premiere in 2023.
The new series hails from showrunners Lara Azzopardi (The Bold Type, Mary Kills People) and Julia Cohen (Riverdale, A Million Little Things, The Royals), and is described as “a reprise of the original teen drama” that will focus on a new group of teenagers and school faculty “living in the shadow of events that both bind them together and tear them apart.” The show will travel “deep into the hearts and homes of diverse, complicated characters, as they struggle to find their new normal, reaching for hope, redemption and love,” according the official logline. Production is set to commence in Toronto this summer.
“What excites us maybe the most about reviving this beloved franchise is turning it into a truly serialized one-hour drama,” Azzopardi and Cohen said in a statement. “We’re honored to be given the opportunity to lead this evolution and bring this iconic series back into people’s homes.”
The new Degrassi marks the sixth series in the Canadian teen drama franchise, following The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979-1986), Degrassi Junior High (1987-1989), Degrassi High (1989-1991), Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001-2015) and Degrassi: Next Class (2016-2017).
In addition to HBO Max, episodes of the new Degrassi will also air on Cartoon Network at a later date. HBO Max, meanwhile, has licensed the U.S. streaming rights to all 14 seasons of Next Generation, which will become available on the platform at an as-yet-specified date this spring.
Will you be watching the Degrassi reboot when it eventually lands on HBO Max? Drop your thoughts in a comment below.
