Just when we thought the Prison Break series was over, it sounds like we’re getting another one.
This time last year, Deadline reported that Hulu had put a “new version” of the hit series into development. Today, they reported that they have officially received a trial order.
Prison Break premiered on Fox in 2005 and was canceled in 2009 after four seasons.
However, Fox revived it as a limited series in 2017, bringing back the show’s main cast, including Wentworth Miller, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Dominic Purcell.
The next chapter will be a completely new concept but will still take place in the universe of the original series.
Considering how Prison Break season 5 ended, that might be a good idea.
If you’re a “Prison Break” fan, you might be upset by the original show’s ending, which seemed to seal Michael Scofield’s fate.
This ending didn’t sit well with fans, and for good reason: it wasn’t supposed to be the ending at all.
There was always the plan for another chapter to resurrect Michael, or at least show that he was alive.
By the end of Prison Break Season 5 Episode 9, all the key characters had resolutions, something we didn’t get in the 2009 series finale.
So starting a new storyline featuring these characters might not work.
It’s also possible that Wentworth isn’t interested in returning to the role.
Despite fans clamoring for more Prison Break, Miller revealed in 2020 that he had finished the series.
“I just don’t want to play straight characters. Their stories have been told (and told). So… it’s not Michael anymore,” he said at the time.
“If you’re a fan of the show and wish there were more seasons… I know it’s disappointing. I’m sorry.
“Full support and understanding of your reasoning. Glad you made this decision for your own health and truth,” Purcell wrote in a comment at the time.
“With gratitude and deep love for all the work we have done together, I support this choice,” Kallis added.
Things could have changed in the years since, and Miller’s cameo was always a possibility.
It’s interesting to take the franchise in a new direction because there was a spin-off in the works at the height of the show’s popularity.
Unfortunately, the idea never came to fruition as the creative staff focused on the main series.
There’s also the idea of a Prison Break season 6 with the original cast returning, but a new series with a new cast would likely generate more interest from a marketing perspective.
That doesn’t mean we won’t see some familiar faces, as we’ve met a lot of them throughout the show’s five-season run.
Mayans MC showrunner Elgin James’ love for the project is also interesting.
Mayans MC is a fantastic, grittier series than Sons of Anarchy.
A new prison break story would have to be gritty to live up to the earlier stories in the series, but we’re at a loss as far as plot details go, and the powers that be are keeping them a closely guarded secret.
There was a lot of corruption in the original series, so it’s likely that the world of Prison Break hasn’t changed in the years since.
A natural next step for the series would be to set the show in a women’s prison and feature women, as that would differentiate it from the original series.
The final chapter of the original show, which focused on Sarah (Calliss) and Gretchen (Jody Lynn O’Keefe) in a women’s prison, and Michael trying to save his wife, had a lot of drama.
The prison setting was always necessary for the show’s success, as the new series wouldn’t be called “Prison Break” without a unique take on the tried and true formula.
The move to streaming will also give more freedom in the storytelling department, making renewal of the series even more worthwhile.
It’s hard to get excited when story details are being kept under wraps, but having James on board and working with the original creatives should lead to very good results.
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