Peacock is officially developing a reboot of Friday Night Lights, the beloved football drama that captured hearts in the 2000s.
The upcoming series, currently in development at NBCUniversal, introduces a fresh storyline. According to the official synopsis, the reboot centers on “a ragtag high school football team and their damaged, interim coach” as they embark on an unlikely journey to win the Texas High School State Championship. This inspiring effort takes place in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane, transforming the team into a beacon of hope for their struggling community.
Fans of the original series will be pleased to know that Jason Katims, who served as showrunner and executive producer of the first Friday Night Lights, is returning to helm the reboot. Joining him are Peter Berg, the original series’ director and executive producer, and Brian Grazer, another key producer from the original run.
The original Friday Night Lights premiered in 2006 and aired for five critically acclaimed seasons. The show was inspired by H.G. Bissinger’s 1990 book of the same name, which was first adapted into a 2004 film starring Billy Bob Thornton. The TV series starred Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor, whose leadership of a high school football team in the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, offered a compelling mix of sports drama and heartfelt storytelling. Chandler was joined by an ensemble cast that included Connie Britton, Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly, Zach Gilford, Jesse Plemons, Michael B. Jordan, and Jurnee Smollett.
Over its run, the series earned 14 Emmy nominations, with Chandler taking home the award for Best Actor in a Drama in 2011 and Katims winning for Best Writing that same year.
While it’s still unclear if any original cast members will return for the reboot, fans can expect the same spirit of resilience, teamwork, and small-town heart that made the original a classic. Stay tuned for more updates as this highly anticipated project develops.
