It’s been years since Mordecai and Rigby drifted off into the literal sunset of the cosmos. Most of us thought that was it. We saw the "25 Years Later" montage, watched the kids grow up, and felt that bittersweet sting of a perfect series finale. But the park isn't staying closed. J.G. Quintel is officially bringing it back. The Regular Show new season isn't just a rumor circulating on a sketchy subreddit; it's a confirmed project currently in development at Warner Bros. Animation.
Honestly, the news hit the industry like a stray golf cart through a shed wall. During the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2024, the announcement was dropped alongside several other heavy hitters. It wasn't some massive trailer or a 10-minute teaser. It was a simple confirmation: a new Regular Show series is happening.
People are freaking out. Rightfully so.
What is this Regular Show New Season actually going to be?
Here is where things get a bit complicated. There is a lot of noise online, but if we look at the actual trade reports from Variety and Deadline, the wording is specific. They are calling it a "new series" rather than just "Season 9." This distinction matters. It suggests we might not be picking up exactly where the original finale left off, which makes sense given that the finale was pretty definitive about the characters' futures.
Is it a reboot? A spin-off? A continuation with the next generation?
The most reliable buzz suggests that J.G. Quintel is returning to lead the project. That is the only reason fans aren't revolting. Without Quintel’s specific brand of "slacker surrealism," any attempt to revive the show would feel like a cheap cash grab. The creator’s involvement ensures the DNA remains intact.
The original run lasted 261 episodes. It won an Emmy. It defined an entire era of Cartoon Network alongside Adventure Time. Bringing it back carries a massive weight of expectation. If you've been following the industry trends lately, you know that "comfort viewing" is the biggest driver for streaming platforms. Warner Bros. Discovery knows that Regular Show is one of the most rewatched assets on Max.
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We don't have a confirmed cast list yet. However, it's hard to imagine the show without William Salyers (Rigby) or Quintel himself voicing Mordecai. There are lingering questions about the rest of the crew. Will Sam Marin return for Benson, Pops (given what happened), and Muscle Man? The lore is a minefield right now.
The Pops problem and the timeline mystery
If you watched "A Regular Epic Final Battle," you know why the Regular Show new season faces a narrative hurdle. Pops is gone. He sacrificed himself to break the cycle of universal resets. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking end to a character who was the soul of the series. Bringing him back would arguably cheapen that sacrifice.
Because of this, many insiders speculate that the new episodes might take place in a different timeline or perhaps focus on the years between the return from space and the "25 years later" epilogue. There is a huge gap there. We saw them get jobs, get married, and have kids in a three-minute montage. There are decades of "slack" to be explored in that timeframe.
Or, maybe it's something weirder. This is Regular Show. They could find a magical VHS tape that rewrites reality in the first five minutes.
The production cycle for high-quality 2D animation is notoriously long. Since the announcement was made in mid-2024, expecting a premiere before late 2025 or early 2026 is probably wishful thinking. Animation takes time. Scripting, storyboarding, voice acting, and the actual "betweening" process can't be rushed if they want to maintain the aesthetic of the original.
Why the park still matters in 2026
We live in a weird time for animation. Shows are getting canceled left and right for tax write-offs. Seeing a legacy title get a green light for a Regular Show new season is a sign that studios are leaning back into proven hits. It’s safe. But for the fans, it’s more than a corporate strategy.
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Regular Show resonated because it captured the feeling of being in your early 20s and having no idea what you're doing. It was a show about friendship, dead-end jobs, and the way a simple task like "set up the chairs" could escalate into a trans-dimensional war. That feeling is universal. It doesn't matter if it's 2010 or 2026; everyone feels like they’re just trying to avoid the "The Hammer" of real-life responsibilities.
What we know for sure:
- J.G. Quintel is involved. This is the most important fact.
- It is a "new series" set in the Regular Show universe.
- Warner Bros. Animation is the studio.
- It was announced at Annecy 2024.
What is still pure speculation:
- The return of the original voice cast. (Though likely).
- The specific setting. Is it the park? A new location?
- The release date. Nothing official yet.
Many fans are worried about "seasonal rot." We've seen it with other long-running shows where the magic just evaporates. But Quintel's work on Close Enough proved he still has the timing and the voice for this kind of storytelling. Close Enough was essentially Regular Show for people who had grown up and started families, and its premature cancellation left a void that this new project will likely fill.
Navigating the hype cycle
If you’re looking for the Regular Show new season, be careful with what you click on. YouTube is currently flooded with "Official Trailer" videos that are just fan-made edits of old episodes. They use AI-generated thumbnails and clickbait titles. Don't fall for it.
The real news will come directly from Cartoon Network’s social media or major industry trades. Right now, the project is in the "cook" phase. Writers are in a room somewhere figuring out how to make a talking blue jay and a raccoon relevant for a new generation without alienating the old one.
It’s a tough balance. You want the nostalgia, but you don't want a museum piece. You want new jokes, but you don't want it to feel like it’s trying too hard to be "Gen Alpha." Given the track record of the original series, there’s a good chance they’ll just do what they always did: write stuff that makes them laugh and hope the rest of us get the joke.
Honestly, even if it's just Mordecai and Rigby sitting on a bench for 11 minutes complaining about how expensive coffee has become, people will watch it. There is a fundamental "vibe" to the show that is incredibly hard to replicate. It’s low-stakes until it’s life-or-death, and that’s a rhythm that Quintel mastered perfectly.
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How to prepare for the return
While we wait for more concrete details, there are a few things you can do to get back into the headspace of the park.
First, go back and watch the "Terror Tales of the Park" specials. They represent the show at its most creative and unhinged. They also give you a good sense of how the writers handle anthology-style storytelling, which might be a direction the new series takes.
Second, check out the Regular Show comic books published by BOOM! Studios. They aren't strictly "canon" to the TV show, but they were written with a lot of love for the characters and explored concepts like the "25 Years Later" timeline in much more detail than the show ever could. It’s a great way to see how the world functions when the stakes are slightly different.
Lastly, keep an eye on J.G. Quintel’s social media. He’s relatively quiet, but when he does post, it’s usually significant.
The return of Regular Show is a massive deal for the animation community. It marks a shift back toward creator-driven content that isn't afraid to be weird. Whether we’re heading back to the park or somewhere entirely new, one thing is certain: it’s going to be anything but regular.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Verify Sources: Ignore any "trailers" on YouTube that don't come from an official Warner Bros. or Cartoon Network channel.
- Rewatch the Finale: Refresh your memory on the "reset" mechanics of the universe, as this will likely be the catalyst for how the new show begins.
- Support the Creators: If you haven't seen Close Enough, watch it. It’s the spiritual bridge between the old Regular Show and whatever this new project will become.
- Follow Annecy Updates: The festival often provides yearly updates on projects announced the previous year. Watch for June 2025 for potential first-look art or casting news.