A (Real) 'Will & Grace' Revival Could Be Coming to NBC: Reports
Back in September, the "Will & Grace" cast caused a stir when they reunited for some cryptic photos and teased some sort of return. Unfortunately for fans of the NBC sitcom, while the stars did reprise their characters for a short video, it was a one-off event staged as part of an endorsement of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and not a full-fledged revival. Now, however, additional "Will & Grace" could finally be on the way.
Reports from several trades, including The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and TVLine, indicate that NBC was so impressed by the excitement over last month's reunion that it's mulling greenlighting the real deal. THR reports that the network wants to bring back stars Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Megan Mullally, and Sean Hayes, and is currently in talks to do so.
"The goal, sources say, is to do a 10-episode limited series revival," per THR.
The folks at TVLine and Deadline paint a more reserved picture of a possible revival, however, with TVLine reporting that the episode count is unclear, as is a target premiere date. And Deadline notes that negotiations are off to a slow start, writing, "the sides are currently far apart and there are a lot of hurdles that make mounting a 'Will & Grace' return a daunting task, but at least there is a will to pursue it."
There is hope, however, that if an NBC deal doesn't pan out, Netflix could pick up the reboot instead, since Deadline notes that it's already had success reviving other long-gone shows, including "Full House," "Arrested Development," and the upcoming "Gilmore Girls." Producer Universal Television is still the rights holder, so the sitcom's previous ties to NBC are not a dealbreaker if the Peacock passes on the project.
In an interview with People last month following the success of the viral election video, Messing said she'd love to bring the show to a streaming platform should any such offer materialize. And McCormack told People, "We'd all be interested to get that call" about a revival.
Looks like the cast may want to stand by their phones. Stay tuned.
[via: The Hollywood Reporter, TVLine, Deadline]