Glee Reboot Confirmed by Creator Ryan Murphy Amid Fan Concerns

The teen musical drama "Glee" is officially being rebooted, creator Ryan Murphy announced, confirming that a script for the revival is complete. The news, shared via the show's official Instagram page with a graphic stating, "It's official Glee is returning," has ignited discussions among fans, many of whom have expressed apprehension due to the show's history.

Murphy revealed in September that he had finished writing the script for the revival. "We have a script. Brad [Falchuk] and Ian [Brennan] and I, who wrote all the first two seasons, have written something," he told Entertainment Tonight. He also indicated that the project is moving forward, as he has been in contact with about ten original cast members who have shown enthusiasm for the idea.

However, the announcement has been met with mixed reactions from the "Gleeks" online. On the /r/Glee subreddit, some fans voiced concerns, with one user writing, "this is lowkey scary. Pls don’t ruin our masterpiece." Another commented, "someone stop this man. we don't need anymore glee it's too much a product of its time/cast." There are also differing opinions on whether a reboot should feature original characters or an entirely new cast, with some hoping for a new story within the same universe rather than a reunion.

The show, which aired on Fox from 2009 to 2015, has been associated with a so-called "Glee curse" due to the tragic deaths of three of its main stars. Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, died in 2013 at age 31 from an accidental overdose. Mark Salling, known for his role as Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, died by suicide in January 2018 at age 35. Naya Rivera, who portrayed Santana Lopez, died in July 2020 at age 33 from accidental drowning while saving her son. IMAGE3

Actor Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams, has publicly criticized fans who discuss the cast's deaths as a "sacrifice" or part of a "curse." "Let me log off today because the way too many of you talk about real people who have passed as a 'sacrifice' or a 'curse' in regards to a tv show is f***ing diabolical and untethered from any sort of humanity or reality," McHale wrote on X. He has previously stated that while cast members have joked about a curse, it was a way to cope with difficult situations. IMAGE1 IMAGE7

The idea of a "curse" has also been explored in documentaries such as the 2023 "The Price of Glee," which detailed the deaths of other crew members associated with the show. These included second team lead Jim Fuller and a lead prop guy named Paul, who died of heart attacks, and main stand-in Mark Watson, who died in a car fire. Additionally, production assistant Nancy Motes died by suicide, and rigging gaffer J.A. Byerly revealed his brother and colleague also died by suicide. McHale has suggested these are unfortunate coincidences and accidents, common in large productions. IMAGE2 IMAGE6 IMAGE5