Warner Bros. Discovery has announced yet another casualty of its recent merger — the Degrassi revival has officially been axed.
A new installment of Canada’s popular teen show was first announced back in January, to the delight of hoards of fans who grew up with any one of the various iterations that have graced our screens over the years.
This reboot was to premiere in 2023 with a 10-episode first season and would have been helmed by Lara Azzopardi, who previously worked on the final season of the queer-favorite Canadian show Lost Girl, and Julia Cohen, a co-executive producer on the final, reimagined season of Quantico. While there wasn't much known about this particular iteration just yet, past takes on Degrassi have been praised for their diversity and inclusiveness, and featured a variety of LGBTQ+ characters that fans loved.
Alas, this version of Degrassi appears to have fallen victim to WBD CEO David Zaslav’s continued budget cuts, which seem to be affecting TV series and movies that queer fans were very excited about.
The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news, reported that “new leadership has canceled and written off projects aimed at children and teens for HBO Max,” which doesn’t bode well either. An animated Charlotte’s Web miniseries has also been scrapped.
As disappointing as the Degrassi news is, it ultimately says more about the questionable choices being made at Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as their priorities, than anything else. Thankfully, Degrassi has seen many iterations over the past 40+ years, and it seems unfathomable that this cancelation will mark the end of the enduring Canadian franchise.
Whatever it takes, we know this franchise can withstand the test of time — just not on HBO Max, apparently.
RELATED | Aubrey Plaza, Joe Locke Cast in WandaVision Spinoff Agatha: Coven of Chaos
