Degrassi is one of the most well-known teen dramas in television history, whether it is Degrassi High or Degrassi: The Next Generation. The idea of Degrassi has been so popular over the years that five series have been produced to date like: The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, Degrassi: The Next Generation in and Degrassi: Next Class. The Next Generation alone lasted 14 seasons and 385 episodes, making it the franchise’s most well-known show.
Now, it appears that the Degrassi franchise is getting a sixth season because HBO Max has just revealed via Twitter that a new Degrassi series is in the works for the streaming service.
According to sources Lara Azzopardi and Julia Cohen will also serve as showrunners on the new drama. Azzopardi and Cohen have a lot of TV experience as Azzopardi has worked as an executive producer on shows like The Bold Type and Mary Kills People, while Cohen has produced shows like A Million Little Things, Quantico, and Riverdale which is another popular teen drama.
Fans of Degrassi are surely delighted and already loaded with questions at the thrilling comeback announcement.
- What will the controversial series’ next storyline be?
- Will any of the previous cast members return?
- When is the show set to air?
For those curious about the upcoming Degrassi revival on HBO Max, here is all we know so far, including the release date, actors, and plot.
Degrassi: Release Date
HBO Max confirmed that the next batch of students will arrive in 2023 in their initial Twitter statement. As a result, we will have to wait at least a year for the new Degrassi revival to be released on the streaming service. The sources also stated that filming will begin this summer in Toronto which we can use to determine when the new episodes will be released next year.
One thing is certain that unlike its previous shows the new Degrassi will consist of hour-long episodes. Showrunners Lara Azzopardi and Julia Cohen stated in a statement that perhaps the most exciting aspect of recreating this iconic property is transforming it into a true episodic one-hour drama. We are fortunate to be a part of this journey and to bring this beloved series back into people’s homes.
HBO Max also required the rights to Degrassi: The Next Generation, which means fans will be able to view all 14 seasons while waiting for the upcoming revival to air.
Degrassi: Cast
There have been no casting decisions for HBO Max’s Degrassi as of yet. However, fans of the franchise are well aware that the revival’s casting has a lot of exposure. Degrassi: The Next Generation produced a flood of major stars and well-known faces. The most famous example is of course
- Drake, who played Jimmy Brooks on the show for the first eight seasons.
- Nina Dobrev, who played Mia Jones from Season 6 to Season 9 before going on to appear in another famous teen drama, The CW’s The Vampire Diaries is another prominent example.
- Shenae Grimes, aka Darcy Edwards, went on to star in another CW teen series, 90210 after her time on Degrassi.
- Cassie Steele as Manny Santos
- Shane Kippel as Gavin Mason
- Lauren Collins as Paige Michalchuk
Degrassi: Plot
The Degrassi franchise has long been known for dealing with challenging more mature and controversial issues that directly affect its teen characters. Harassment, abortion, school shootings, sexual assault, and body image were just a few of the stories on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Despite the show’s 14 seasons, there are several themes that the cast and crew of Degrassi: The Next Generation believe were not adequately explored.
The showrunners stated, the previous series missed opportunities to talk about gay sex, queer sex, and queer bodies. Racism is also to be shown in the upcoming series because these are issues that we may expect to see addressed in HBO Max’s upcoming Degrassi.
According to the sources, the new Degrassi will follow the lead of the previous episodes focusing on a group of teenagers at Degrassi Community School as well as some of the staff.
The show gives insight into the hearts and homes of different complicated characters as they attempt to discover their new normal, looking for hope, redemption, and love. However, these are only anticipation until and unless developers come up with any compact storyline. Once we get an official plot, most probably we will share all the details with you all.
Degrassi: Trailer
As of now, the makers of this series have not said anything regarding the release of the official trailer. It is predicted that the trailer will be released a month before the arrival of the series and it might hit the theatres in the coming months. We will update this section once we get any official updates that surfaced. You can stay in touch with us for more entertaining updates and information like this.