One Tree Hill Reboot: Everything We Know So Far

"One Tree Hill" was a staple for teens in the 2000s. Debuting in 2003, the series follows Lucas Scott (Chad Michael Murray) and Nathan Scott (James Lafferty), half-brothers who live in the same town, attend the same school, and end up competing against each other on the same basketball team. More drama ensues as they crush on the same girls and struggle with their individual relationships with their father.

The show ran for nearly 200 episodes before its end in 2012. By that point, the high school students were out of college and starting their adult lives. Over that time, main characters Lucas and Peyton (Hilarie Burton Morgan) left, giving other characters more airtime and allowing for new ones to be introduced. While some "One Tree Hill" scenes didn't age well, it continues to be popular among teens, which is why bringing it back makes sense.

In August 2024, sources confirmed to Variety that Netflix was working on a "One Tree Hill" sequel series, following some of the original characters decades later as parents. It's still in the development phase right now, but here's what we know about it so far.

While insiders have confirmed that the "One Tree Hill" reboot is happening, it doesn't have a premiere date yet. Netflix also hasn't officially greenlit the project, meaning the show is unlikely to have a premiere date anytime soon. The people involved with the sequel series are staying tight-lipped over the reboot. "We're at the phase right now where I can't say anything," Hilarie Burton Morgan said to People in April 2025. "There's lots of good things cooking right now, and it's really smart, caring people working on it. And that's always a fun thing to be a part of."

Burton remains optimistic about the reboot's future with Netflix. "When it was kind of leaked, it was very, very, very early in the game," the actress commented to People during an earlier interview in January 2025. "So we're in the process of presenting things to Netflix, and they will get to decide whether or not it's greenlit. But I think the more people show that they're excited about it, the better." It's going to be a while before we know when the reboot will air, but there are plenty of dramas like "One Tree Hill" to watch in the meantime.

Sources have revealed to Deadline that the reboot will take place 20 years after the end of the original show. It's going to feature Sophia Bush's Brooke Davis and Hilarie Burton Morgan's Peyton Sawyer as parents. Much like the parents featured in the original series, Brooke and Peyton will be trying to help their kids navigate teenage life, drawing on their own experiences from that age.

This presents plenty of storyline possibilities for the "One Tree Hill" sequel series to explore. The exact direction they decide to go in will of course depend on which cast members return, but the reboot is certain to incorporate issues and themes that are relevant to the next generation of teens, creating new problems for Brooke and Peyton to work through together.

Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan will be back to play Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer, respectively. The actresses made matching posts on social media in August 2024 confirming their involvement with the series. "If there's an opportunity to team with brilliant creatives and build a space where all our friends can show off their talents? Own our history? Reclaim our turf? Honor our fans? Sign us up," they wrote in their identical captions. Right now, Bush and Morgan are the only two confirmed cast members, but don't rule out seeing more familiar faces.

Bethany Joy Lenz, who portrayed Haley James Scott, is open to reprising her role, though perhaps not right away. "I am absolutely open to being a part of a revisiting to Tree Hill. But as far as this particular one, I don't know. It's so early," she told Variety. Jana Kramer, who joined the cast in Season 7 as Alex Dupre, also revealed to the Hollywood trade that she's open to returning. "I was actually just talking to Sophia [Bush] and Rob [Buckley] the other day on their podcast, 'Drama Queens,'" she said. "I had so much fun playing Alex that I hope that I would be able to get to play her again."

James Lafferty, the actor behind Haley's love interest Nathan, doesn't plan to return at the moment, as he's focused on other projects, though he told Variety that he's been "blown away by the fans that make a conversation like this even possible." His on-screen half-brother Lucas, played by Chad Michael Murray, has seemingly confirmed that he's not involved. "We're not doing it because no one's ever picked up the phone and said, 'Hey, we're doing this,' so we're not doing it," he said to the Los Angeles Times, speaking about both himself and Lafferty. He is, however, excited about the reboot. "I want it for the fans," Murray added.

Becky Hartman Edwards, a writer and producer who has worked with Netflix previously on "Virgin River" and "Firefly Lane," is said to be writing the "One Tree Hill" reboot and she will also act as an executive producer, among other roles. She's essentially the one spearheading the series: In January 2025, Hilarie Burton Morgan referred to Edwards as the "showrunner" in an interview with People. "Our showrunner, Becky Hartman Edwards, is so good at female friendships and multi-generational shows, and that's why we were so excited to team up with her," the actress said.

Morgan and co-star Sophia Bush are also reportedly executive producers on the reboot, and they're joined by Danneel Ackles, who played Rachel Gatina in the original series. Ackles will be producing alongside her husband Jensen Ackles of "Supernatural" fame under their company Chaos Machine Productions (Danneel also played Sister Jo in "Supernatural," if you were wondering why she looks so familiar). Elsewhere, Emily Moss Wilson, a director and producer best known for helming several made-for-TV Christmas movies, is also reportedly attached as a producer.