‘Friday Night Lights’ Creators Set Plans for Teen Drama Revival

The return of the true teen drama — because most high school students probably aren’t living in the world of Euphoria — will continue as Universal Television begins developing a revival of Friday Night Lights.

The football-focused series ran for five seasons between 2006 and 2011. Now, director Peter Berg, showrunner Jason Katims, and producer Brian Grazer are eyeing a return with a whole new cast of characters.

Berg directed the 2004 Friday Night Lights film based on the 1990 H. G. “Buzz” Bissinger novel of the same name. When the series began taking shape, he crafted the hooking pilot asa both writer and director. With Katims as showrunner, the series set the stage for early-career performances from the likes of Michael B. Jordan, Jesse Plemons, Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly, Gaius Charles, Adrianne Palicki, and more.

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Friday Night Lights developed a cult following during its time on air, not quite a hit as big as the likes of The O.C. or One Tree Hill, but gripping enough to keep viewers invested in the stories of a football coach and the team players in the made-for-TV small town of Dillon, Texas. It charged itself with the drama of high-stakes state championships, wealth imbalances, and unexpected relationship developments — from breakups and ghostings to pregnancies and long-distance dates.

Without the original cast returning, the Friday Night Lights reboot has a ripe foundation for a new generation of teen drama stars. The creators have no shortage of potential cast picks. Netflix, where the original series is now streaming, and MAX know all about finding exciting teen actors and swiftly cancelling the shows they appear in (see: MAX’s Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars reboots and Netflix’s First Kill and Grand Army). But the streaming services have also found success with shows like Never Have I Ever, Outer Banks, and Sex Education and have housed complete seasons of teen drama classics.