It looks like cult classic Degrassi will be returning to our screens for a new generation this spring. HBO Max has given Degrassi: Next Generation the green light and secured the U.S. rights to stream all 14 seasons of the show this spring. It also announced a Degrassi reboot!
Degrassi: The Next Generation debuted in 2001 and followed a group of Canadian teenagers going through high school drama. The show was a spinoff from the original The Kids of Degrassi St. in 1979. The multiple award-winning series put some favorite celebrities in the spotlight ranging from rapper Drake to Vampire Diaries’ Nina Dobrev.
The new Degrassi will take on the original name and premiere in 2023. It’s produced and filmed by franchise owner WildBrain and executive producers Lara Azzopardi and Julia Cohen. The series is shooting this summer.
Warner Bros. head of kids and family programming, Amy Friedman, talked about Degrassi’s impact on viewers for generations. “Series after series, the ‘Degrassi’ franchise continues to make an indelible impact on young viewers looking for trustworthy and authentic storytelling. WildBrain continues to artfully capture high school life in a compelling format that can be experienced seamlessly on HBO Max.”
The series touched on real-life issues of high school life. It addressed topics such as sexuality, abortion, heartbreak, drugs, alcohol, and a groundbreaking topic: school shootings. The new series will explore a similar range of issues based in Toronto.
WildBrain CEO Eric Ellenbogen says, “I’m delighted that our first-ever commission from HBO Max is for ‘Degrassi,’ a truly venerable franchise with a highly devoted and passionate audience. This is yet another evergreen property from our vast IP library that we are reviving with a fresh vision and creative-first approach.”
