ODESSA, TX - A reboot of Friday Night Lights, the acclaimed drama series centered on West Texas high school football, is in development by Universal Television, according to Forbes.
The original series, which aired from 2006 to 2011, earned critical acclaim and won three Emmy Awards over five seasons. It was based on Buzz Bissinger’s 1990 book of the same name, which chronicled the socio-political climate of Odessa through the story of the Permian Panthers football team. The book also inspired the 2004 film adaptation starring Billy Bob Thornton as Coach Gary Gaines.
Jason Katims, the showrunner for the original series, is set to return for the reboot, Forbes reports. The new series will introduce a fresh set of characters while maintaining its focus on the world of high school football.
The original TV series became a cultural touchstone, popularizing the motivational phrase, “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” famously delivered by Coach Eric Taylor, played by Kyle Chandler. The cast included Connie Britton and Dallas native Jesse Plemons.
In a 2021 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Britton expressed doubts about the idea of a reboot involving the original cast.
“We’ve already had a movie, we’ve already had this TV show, and then if they were to do it again with like a whole different iteration of it, I don’t know. I would think that would be sort of odd,” she said.
Taylor Kitsch, who portrayed fan-favorite character Tim Riggins, confirmed in 2022 that he would not reprise his role.
“You may see it, but I will not be a part of it,” he told Variety, citing a desire to focus on new projects.
The reboot remains in the early stages of development, with further details yet to be announced.
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