The highly anticipated HBO Max revival of Degrassi has officially been cancelled. Back in January, WarnerMedia Kids & Family greenlit a new iteration of the long-running Canadian teen drama.
Like its predecessors, the new 10-episode series was set to be a “character-driven” story that would follow a new set of students on their “thrilling, often painful journey of self-discovery.” Lara Azzopardi (The Bold Type, Mary Kills People) and Julia Cohen (Riverdale) were also announced as showrunners – with the series set to film in the summer. (per The Hollywood Reporter). “What excites us maybe the most about reviving this beloved franchise is turning it into a truly serialized one-hour drama,” Azzopardi and Cohen said in a joint statement. “We’re honored to be given the opportunity to lead this evolution and bring this iconic series back into people’s homes.
Amy Friedman, head of kids and family programming at Warner Bros. added: “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.” However after months of silence, HBO Max announced that the highly anticipated show would no longer happen.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the decision stemmed from the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery – which has been spearheaded by CEO David Zaslav.