Fans might be returning to the world of One Tree Hill sooner than they think. Netflix’s planned reboot of the 2000s-era teen drama is “in a really good place,” according to Austin Nichols, who starred as Julian Baker in the last few seasons of the original show.
“I don’t have all the answers,” Nichols said of the reboot prospect in a recent People interview. “I know that they’ve been working on it for a long time. They made a deal with Netflix, and they’re working on the scripts. I think Netflix has to approve some scripts before they give it a green light. I know there’s been some notes going back and forth, so it’s in a really good place. It’s in a healthy place. So, hopefully we get some good news shortly and we make some more One Tree Hill.”
News of Netflix’s involvement in the reboot came nearly a year ago, in August 2024, when Deadline reported that One Tree Hill alums Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton were set to executive produce and reprise their roles of Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer, respectively.
Fred Norris/Warner Bros./Courtesy: Everett Collection
The reboot, Deadline added, will take place 20 years after the end of the WB-turned-CW series, with best friends Brooke and Peyton now parents to teens and facing the familiar challenges of love, insecurities, and grief.
Becky Hartman Edwards was writing and executive-producing the Warner Bros. TV project. Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles were also on board as executive producers through their Chaos Machine banner, with Danneel mulling an onscreen return as Rachel Scott. Emily Moss Wilson is a producer.
“What I can say is that this go-around, being able to work with a team of women and look at these stories [and] these characters through a female lens is something that — whether I was doing a reboot or a brand-new show or a different movie at this phase in my life, female teamwork is something that is so vital to me,” Burton explained to People in September 2024.
Chad Michael Murray wasn’t expected to return to play Lucas Scott, Deadline reported, but the actor told Variety that November he would “cross that bridge” when he came to it.
“There’s just no way that I can tell the future, and there’s been no conversations,” Murray added. “But the fan base is infectious, and if this show does come to fruition, I’m so excited for them to be able to go through this journey — whatever that journey may be.”