They meant it when they said Texas forever.
Indeed, a reboot of beloved NBC drama Friday Night Lights is reportedly in the works at Universal Television, according to multiple outlets. And the new iteration of the show is full of familiar faces behind the scenes as the reports note being produced original series showrunner, Jason Katims as well as executive producers Brian Grazer, Kristen Zolner and Peter Berg, who helmed the 2004 film of the same name.
While most details a currently under wraps, the new series will likely center around new characters in the world of Texas high school football.
E! News has reached out to Universal Television for comment but has not heard back.
Friday Night Lights, which aired from 2006 to 2011, and centered around the Dillon, Texas, high school football team and its coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in the wake of a devastating on-the-field accident.
The series—which ran for five seasons—featured an all-star cast of also starred Connie Britton, Taylor Kitsch, Zach Gilford, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons , Mika Kelly, Scott Porter, Gaius Charles, and more, with Michael B. Jordan and Jurnee Smollett appearing in later seasons.
NBC-TV/Kobal/ShutterstockDuring it’s run, Friday Night Lights won three Emmy awards, including an individual award by Chandler for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2011. And since the show’s end, many cast members have spoken fondly about their time. In fact, Adrianne Palicki and Matt Lauria were among the Dillon High alum who reunited in 2016 in honor of the 10th anniversary of the series’ premiere. That said, many cast members have admitted they think their days suiting up for the Panthers may be behind them.
And that includes Kitsch, who admitted in 2022 that he wouldn’t be interested in reprising his role as troubled fullback Tim Riggins.
“You may see it, but I will not be a part of it,” the Waco actor told Variety at the time. “I’m done. I’m good. I want to keep growing as an actor. Going back to Rigs—let him live in everyone else’s memories. Whatever that is, whatever he means to them, let him lay there.”
As he sees it, he’s just grown too much professionally to return to his roots.
“It was such a huge springboard for me, but I’m such a different actor now,” he continued. “It allowed me to explore the process, be f–king green and embrace it.”
(E! News and Universal Television are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Keep reading to take a trip down memory lane and see where the Friday Night Lights stars are now…
NBCU Photo Bank, George Pimentel/WireImageCoach Taylor can still be seen inspiring others in many other shows and movies, such as when he starred on the series Bloodline and in the short-lived Catch-22.
He also reprised his character Dr. Mark Russell in Godzilla: King of Monsters and starred alongside George Clooney in the 2020 film The Midnight Sky. Most recently, he’s starring in Godzilla vs. Kong.
NBCU Photo Bank, Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesThe superstar quickly found a home as the lead of Nashville, a drama series surrounding the country music scene in the iconic music city, as well as leading the first installments of American Horror Story and Dirty John.
Most recently, she acted in the Oscar-nominated film Promising Young Woman and also had a multi-year stint on the Fox hit series 9-1-1.
NBCU Photo Bank, Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship FundAfter her run on Friday Night Lights, she had a recurring part in Parenthood and starred in the thriller The Roommate.
Kelly current stars on HBO Max’s DC comics series Titans. She will next be seen in HBO’s Euphoria.
NBCU Photo Bank, Paul Archuleta/FilmMagicThe actor went on to be a part of another small-town show, this time with the lighthearted series Hart of Dixie. He also got married to the football show’s casting director.
Porter can currently be seen on Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia.
NBCU Photo Bank, Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesAfter his breakthrough role on the football drama, he had major roles in shows like Breaking Bad and Fargo, and also got engaged to Kirsten Dunst in 2017. The two recently welcomed baby no. 2.
Plemons has acted in a number of recent highly acclaimed award season films including Vice, The Irishman and, most recently, Judas and the Black Messiah.
NBCU Photo Bank, Gregg DeGuire/Getty ImagesAfter his role on the show, he went on to star in other compelling dramas like True Detective and the mini-series Waco, as well as in a terrifying role in the crime-drama film 21 Bridges.
NBCU Photo Bank, VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty ImagesFollowing FNL, the Illinois native joined the since-canceled NBC series, Good Girls. He will next appear in Netflix’s upcoming supernatural horror series, Midnight Mass.
NBCU Photo Bank, Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Entertainment WeeklyThe actress starred on The Orville between 2017 and 2019, and also had roles in films like John Wick and G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
NBCU Photo Bank, Aaron J. Thornton/FilmMagicThe actor, who played the up-and-coming quarterback on the final season of the show, broke out after the series ended with major movie roles including Just Mercy, Fruitvale Station and, of course, as Killmonger in Marvel’s Black Panther. He’s also been named People‘s Sexiest Man Alive.
NBCU Photo Bank, MediaPunch/ShutterstockSince her role as Julie Taylor, she has taken on recurring parts in series like Notorious, The Ranch and Star-Crossed. While many of the shows have wrapped, Teegarden is still actively promoting ocean conservation.
