WarnerMedia Kids & Family Orders New Degrassi Series

WarnerMedia Kids & Family has greenlit a brand-new version of WildBrain’s award-winning youth franchise Degrassi.

The new teen and family series will be spearheaded by showrunners Lara Azzopardi (Backstage, The Bold Type, Mary Kills People) and Julia Cohen (Riverdale, A Million Little Things, The Royals). It will include ten hour-long episodes and is expected to launch in the U.S. exclusively on HBO Max in 2023.

Additionally, HBO Max landed the U.S. rights for the entire 14-season library of Degrassi: The Next Generation. The franchise’s longest-running and most popular installment will become available on the platform this spring. Degrassi will also become available at a later date on Cartoon Network.

Degrassi is a character-driven series about the high school experience and the thrilling, often painful journey of self-discovery. The new series, set in Toronto, explores a group of teenagers and school faculty living in the shadow of events that both bind them together and tear them apart.

The series and Degrassi library are distributed worldwide by WildBrain.

“Series after series, the Degrassi franchise continues to make an indelible impact on young viewers looking for trustworthy and authentic storytelling,” said Amy Friedman, head of kids’ and family programming at Warner Bros. “WildBrain continues to artfully capture high school life in a compelling format that can be experienced seamlessly on HBO Max.”

Eric Ellenbogen, CEO of WildBrain, said: “I’m delighted that our first-ever commission from HBO Max is for Degrassi, a truly venerable franchise with a highly devoted and passionate audience. This is yet another evergreen property from our vast IP library that we are reviving with a fresh vision and creative-first approach.”

Josh Scherba, president of WildBrain, said: “Now in its fourth decade, Degrassi is one of those beloved evergreen properties that demands to be refreshed for each new generation. Stephanie Betts, our chief content officer, along with showrunners, Lara Azzopardi and Julia Cohen, have envisioned an evolution for Degrassi that, while staying true to the fundamental honesty, humanity and integrity of the brand, promises fans a journey into exciting new territory, both creatively and dramatically. We’re delighted to be partnering with HBO Max to deliver this new vision to fans and extend Degrassi‘s legacy.”

Azzopardi and Cohen added: “What excites us maybe the most about reviving this beloved franchise is turning it into a truly serialized one-hour drama. We’re honored to be given the opportunity to lead this evolution and bring this iconic series back into people’s homes.”