A ‘Glee’ Reboot in This Economy? All The ‘Gleeboot’ Details, From Lea Michele’s Return To Songs That Audiences Want Covered

All over the world, “Gleeks” are euphoric because a reboot of the cult series from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan has been officially greenlit by 20th Television for Disney+ and Hulu. What’s more, Variety has confirmed through multiple sources that Lea Michele, who played Rachel Berry on the series, will return for the reboot, with several other core cast members expected to return.

What is the ‘Glee’ reboot going to be about?

Ryan Murphy has only revealed that he has worked on a reboot script with Falchuk and Brennan and has spoken to some of the original cast members about returning.

Set in the fictional Lima, Ohio school, William McKinley High, “Glee” followed a bunch of high school outcasts who join the school’s glee club, New Directions, and compete on the show choir circuit that goes all the way up to nationals. While one of their teachers, Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) encouraged their musical ambitions, the P.E. coach, Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) was a constant nemesis but occasional ally. Every “Glee” episode wove in covers of multiple songs from over the years, with occasional episodes being dedicated to one particular artist, like Britney Spears and Michael Jackson, mashups of multiple songs, or even specific genres and themes.

Fans have had a love-hate relationship with the musical dramedy that ran on Fox for six seasons (2009 - 2015). Alongside Morrison and Lynch, the cast included Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Mark Salling, Harry Shum Jr. and Jayma Mays, with Darren Criss, Chord Overstreet, Jonathan Groff, Grant Gustin, Melissa Benoist and more. “Glee” was also known for its memorable cameos from actors and musicians like Idina Menzel, Gwyneth Paltrow, Neil Patrick Harris, Matt Bomer, Adam Lambert, Demi Lovato, Lindsey Lohan, Kate Hudson and even Dame Helen Mirren.

Who is returning for the ‘Glee’ reboot?

A day after the reboot announcement, Variety reported that sources had confirmed Lea Michele, who played the Glee-turned-Broadway star Rachel Berry on the show, will be returning. In the days following the announcement, several of its original and guest cast members have been asked if they’d want to return. While some, like Chris Colfer, have said a return might not be possible because co-stars like Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith are no more, others have expressed their willingness to return. For example, Gwyneth Paltrow, who starred as substitute teacher Holly Holliday for a few episodes on the show, is married to Brad Falchuk, and might consider returning for the reboot.

Here’s a look at the “Glee” cast members and where they stand on the reboot:

Heather Morris

Everyone’s favorite Britney Spears variant, Heather Morris, who played the cheerleader Brittany S. Pierce on the series, posted on Instagram confirming her return for the Gleeboot. Alas, she won't have her on-screen partner-in-crime with her.

Morris’s co-star Naya Rivera, who played fellow cheerleader and love interest Santana Lopez on the show, passed away in July 2020 from accidental drowning, one of the several “Glee” cast members whose tragedy caused fans to think the series was cursed.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Heather Morris (@heatherrelizabethh)

Chord Overstreet 

Overstreet, who joined the cast in “Glee” Season 2 as Sam Evans, posted on X about the reunion, which fans took as confirmation that he will be returning for the reboot. 

 

Reunited and it feels so good!

— Chord Overstreet (@chordoverstreet) October 21, 2026

Kevin McHale

While McHale’s wheelchair-bound Artie Abrams hasn’t explicitly confirmed a return, the actor did retweet an old 2020 tweet about Drake officially surpassing the “Glee” cast for most Billboard Hot 100 hits of all time and said, “Challenge accepted”. 

Challenge accepted

— Kevin McHale (@druidDUDE) October 21, 2026

Jane Lynch 

Sue Sylvester, played by Jane Lynch, had some of the best, politically incorrect lines on the series. Lynch reposted the reboot announcement on her Instagram stories, getting fans excited about her possible return. After all, her character’s sass, swagger, athleisure wear and infamous vlog, “How Sue Cs It,” are what gave the show’s unique satirical humour its flavor.

WE ARE GETTING SUE SYLVESTER https://t.co/w3N6zxkcIV

— emma ꨄ︎ gleek (@klainepilled) October 21, 2026

Dianna Agron 

Fans would love to see the once-upon-a-time queen bee of McKinley High, cheerleader and teen mom Quinn Fabray, return. Recently, Dianna Agron recreated her iconic “Say A Little Prayer” performance from “Glee” alongside her “Industry” Season 5 co-stars, Myha’la and Ben Platt, sparking hopes that she'll return.

 

thank you so much myha’la !! https://t.co/Vh8qvNDycj

— hailey (@agronxfabray) October 22, 2026

Matthew Morrison

Everyone’s favorite teacher and Sue Sylvester’s sworn enemy, Mr. Schuester (fondly known as Mr. Schue), Matthew Morrison, has made it known that he hasn’t been approached to return for the “Glee” reboot yet, but would love to. Taking a cue from “Student of the Year,” a fan online suggested a rather macabre idea that the “Glee” reboot could begin with the Gleeks reuniting for Schuester’s funeral!

Becca Tobin

When asked in a podcast about the reboot announcement, Tobin, who joined “Glee” in Season 4 as cheerleader Kitty Wilde, has said that it is giving her anxiety since she isn’t an original cast member and there’s no guarantee that she’ll be asked to return.

Matt Bomer 

The “White Collar” actor had a much-loved guest act in the series as elder brother to Darren Criss’s Blaine Anderson. In an interview after the announcement, Bomer said he’d be happy to return and wants Cynthia Erivo to join the cast as well. Considering one of the most iconic “Glee” covers has been Lea Michele and Chris Colfer’s “Defying Gravity” face-off, Erivo might just be the perfect challenger in the reboot.

What are fans saying about the ‘Glee’ reboot?

For many, their awakening to American pop music and culture (like the Rocky Horror Picture Show) was because they heard the song cover on “Glee.” Some of these covers — such as Darren Criss’s cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”— have been loved more than their original versions. Beyond its music, “Glee” was loved for its humor, which was on several occasions inappropriate and eventually pointed out as problematic, but mostly for confronting some truly awkward truths about social issues, sexuality, growing up and more. 

Naturally, the reaction to the news amongst “Glee” fans has been mostly positive, because they are excited for their favorite new-age artists’ songs to be covered. However, there are some who believe it will be difficult to update the show’s humor for the “woke” times we live in and get away with some of the gags that the show pulled back then, which haven’t aged well.

 

connor storrie is about to be cast as a gay football coach overcoming his fear of the dark in the gleeboot and you’re laughing

— evil ej 👻 (@divarozanov) October 21, 2026

are we as a society prepared to watch the glee club at william mckinley high school compete against an ai glee club at regionals?

— gremlin is cleveland's biggest fan (@queerlilgremlin) October 21, 2026

Can’t wait for the episode when Rachel does something wildly impulsive which backfires, regrets it by the last act and closes out the final scene with ‘Anti-Hero’ by Taylor Swift. ‘It’s me. Hi, I’m the problem it’s me’ while looking in the mirror. Hook it to my veins. #Glee

— Stephen Patterson (@mr_sjpatterson) October 21, 2026

we’re about to get a cover of “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” that you can’t even conceive of

— m (@msnetik) October 21, 2026

The Rachel/Kurt Shallow duet is gonna hit

— sam greisman (@SAMGREIS) October 21, 2026

sue would join in to the glee club rendition of hamilton just so she can be aaron burr and shoot will

— sam (@joshdonnapilled) October 21, 2026

La Vaginoplastia (Glee Cast Version)😍

— emma (@ungodlysmedia) October 21, 2026

When will the ‘Glee’ reboot air?

As yet, no details about an expected release date have been released, since the script is being developed. But considering there are actors to be cast and convinced and songs to be licensed for covers, this could be a while. Until then, “Don’t Stop Believin'!”