Forget saving the cheerleader and the world, NBC is saving "Heroes." The network announced Saturday that the sci-fi series about seemingly ordinary people with superpowers is coming back to life as a 13-part miniseries titled "Heroes Reborn" next year. Series creator and executive producer Tim Kring will be the man in charge once again.
“The enormous impact ‘Heroes’ had on the television landscape when it first launched in 2006 was eye-opening,” said Jennifer Salk, NBC Entertainment president, in a statement. “Shows with that kind of resonance don’t come around often and we thought it was time for another installment. We’re thrilled that visionary creator Tim Kring was as excited about jumping back into this show as we were and we look forward to all the new textures and layers Tim plans to add to his original concept."
There is no premiere date yet, but NBC will launch a digital series ahead of the show's debut to introduce viewers to the new characters and story lines. Though the network has not revealed who may be starring in the relaunch, it is giving fans some hope that a few familiar faces may be back.
"Until we get closer to air in 2015, the show will be appropriately shrouded in secrecy, but we won’t rule out the possibility of some of the show’s original cast members popping back in," Salk teased.
The original show, which debuted to positive reviews and big ratings, starred Hayden Paniettiere as cheerleader Claire, Zachary Quinto as baddie Sylar, Milo Ventimiglia as hospice nurse Peter, Ali Larter as stripper Niki, Masi Oka as an office worker, and many others.
Oka, who saw the trailer air, sounds ready to brandish one of his character's most noted weapons.
Fans of the series, which ran for four seasons and ended in 2010, were excited by the news.
But some are curious if the reboot will be able to match the success of the show's freshman year. After a much lauded first season — which earned eight Emmy nods, including best drama and supporting actor for Oka — "Heroes" saw its ratings begin to drop in its sophomore year, with the numbers declining each season until the cancellation announcement finally came in 2010. Kring even admitted to Entertainment Weekly in 2007 that the show had made mistakes with its story lines in season two.