'One Tree Hill' sequel led by Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton in the works but fails to generate excitement

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Netflix appears to be on the brink of reviving the beloved teen drama 'One Tree Hill' with a sequel series, sparking a wave of backlash across social media platforms.

The sequel, which has been rumored for quite some time now, is reportedly closer to becoming a reality, with original stars Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton set to return, as reported by Deadline.

'One Tree Hill' sequel in development at Netflix with Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton returning

Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton, who portrayed the iconic characters Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer, are not just reprising their roles -they're also taking on executive producer duties.

The sequel, which is still in development at Netflix, is being written and executive produced by Becky Hartman Edwards, with Warner Bros TV also on board.

Jensen Ackles and his wife Danneel Ackles, who appeared in the original series as Rachel Scott, are also involved as executive producers through their Chaos Machine banner, with Danneel in talks to return to her role. Emily Moss Wilson is set to produce.

The original 'One Tree Hill' series, created by Mark Schwahn, premiered in 2003 and ran for nine successful seasons, first on The WB network and later on The CW.

The show captured the hearts of fans by following the intertwined lives of a group of friends in the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina.

The sequel series, however, will take a leap 20 years into the future, where best friends Brooke and Peyton are now parents to teenagers.

According to Variety, the new series will explore themes reminiscent of the original, including love, insecurities, and grief, all while the duo navigates the challenges of parenting.

While the return of Bush and Burton is a significant draw, the rest of the original ensemble cast remains uncertain. Conversations have reportedly taken place with other members of the cast, but no formal agreements have been made.

Chad Michael Murray, who played Lucas Scott, the central figure of the original series, is not expected to return, despite his guest appearance in the ninth season.

The sequel was recently listed in Production Weekly, suggesting that deal-making and development are well underway.

The original 'One Tree Hill' explored the complex dynamics between half-brothers Lucas and Nathan Scott, as they navigated their high school years and the evolving relationships within their social circle.

'One Tree Hill' potential revival sparks wave of backlash online

The Internet's reaction to the potential revival of 'One Tree Hill' has been far from unanimously positive.

On X, one person remarked, "Who asked for this." Another said, "It’ll fail like every sequel series."

"I speak for everyone when i say we don’t need it," wrote one person. Another added, "There's a horse named nostalgia and it has been beatened, mutilated, and burned to death. Meanwhile fresher ideas like #DeadBoyDetectives get cancelled. Below, Nobody wants to watch these old sacks of meat and fake drama."

One individual wrote, "I fear this is gonna do more harm than good." Another pointed out, "The way no one can come up with anything new so they keep reviving old ass shows needs to be studied."

One netizen remarked, "God people are lowkey just jobless." Another added, "The show was already running on fumes after season 4 ..."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.