Co-Writer of Boondocks Says Series Comeback Isn’t Off the Table, Just Complicated

At Fan Expo Philly, Rodney Barnes, one of the minds behind The Boondocks, opened up to AllHipHop about the possibility of the show returning.

And while he didn’t rule it out, he made it clear that it wouldn’t be easy.

“Never say never,” Barnes said. “But it’s a different time now. Back when we were doing The Boondocks in the early 2000s, social media didn’t have the reach it has today. Now, you offend one person and it’s everywhere on X. Brands don’t want to deal with that.”

The animated series, which originally aired on Adult Swim in 2005, gained a loyal following for its unfiltered takes on race, politics, and pop culture.

Whether the target was R. Kelly, Tyler Perry, or a sitting president, The Boondocks had no problem calling out anyone.

That raw approach helped the show stand out but it’s also what could make it tough to relaunch in today’s cautious entertainment space.

A reboot was actually announced back in 2019, just before HBO Max launched. Aaron McGruder, the show’s creator, was set to return, and fans were expecting new episodes in 2020.

Unfortunately, John Witherspoon, who voiced Granddad, died in October 2019 at age 77. After his passing, the project quietly lost momentum.

Now in 2025, fans are still hopeful. Barnes didn’t give a definite yes, but he didn’t say no either.

In an era where everything is being rebooted, there’s still a chance Huey and Riley could make a comeback.