Degrassi franchise heads back to class
It’s been 40 years since the Canadian teen drama franchise first aired, but school will be back in session for the popular Degrassi franchise.
WarnerMedia announced Thursday that a reboot of the series will air on HBO Max in 2023. It will be produced by WildBrain Studios and helmed by showrunners Lara Azzopardi and Julia Cohen.
“What excites us maybe the most about reviving this beloved franchise is turning it into a truly serialized one-hour drama. We’re honoured to be given the opportunity to lead this evolution and bring this iconic series back into people’s homes,” said Azzopardi and Cohen in a press release. The pair will also serve as executive pro- ducers.
The reboot will include 10 hour-long episodes and filming is expected to start taking place in Toronto this summer.
Azzopardi and Cohen have lo- cal roots. Cohen is from Toron- to and now based in Los Ange- les and Azzopardi is a Canadian who got her start in the Toronto theatre scene.
HBO Max also announced it now has the U.S. rights for the entire 14-season library of the franchise’s “Degrassi: The Next Generation” which will be available later this spring.
The new series will be set in Toronto and follow the lives of high schoolers and their fami- lies.
“Series after series, the De- grassi franchise continues to make an indelible impact on young viewers looking for trust- worthy and authentic storytell- ing,” said Amy Friedman, a spokesperson for Warner Bros.