Clear eyes, full hearts, reboot.
A new iteration of “Friday Night Lights” is in the works at Universal Television, Variety has confirmed with sources. Series showrunner Jason Katims is onboard to return along with executive producer Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment, with Kristen Zolner of Imagine also executive producing.
The project is said to focus on a new story with new characters set in the world of high school football, meaning original cast members like Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Gaius Charles and Jesse Plemons are not expected to return.
The “Friday Night Lights” reboot is in early stages but is being shopped around Hollywood by the studio.
Universal Television declined to comment.
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The original “Friday Night Lights” series aired for five seasons from 2006 to 2011, first on NBC and then on AT&T’s The 101 Network. It was inspired by H. G. Bissinger’s 1990 novel of the same name, which was first adapted by Peter Berg as a 2004 movie starring Billy Bob Thornton.
“Friday Night Lights” followed a high school football team in the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, coached by Chander’s Eric Taylor. The series also starred Minka Kelly, Zach Gilford, Michael B. Jordan and Jurnee Smollett, among others. The production companies were Universal Television, Imagine Television and Film 44.
Speculation about a possible reboot has swirled since the show went off the air, with cast members like Britton shooing away the idea.
Asked in 2019 if a reboot of “Friday Night Lights” was in the works, Britton responded, “You need to let it go.” In September 2024, she told Variety on the Emmys red carpet, “I heard that they’re making another ‘Friday Night Lights,’ which I find bizarre.”
Puck broke the news of the reboot in development.