‘Roseanne’ Reboot Could be Announced by ABC This Week

ABC will reportedly announce a retooled version of Roseanne in the coming days, according to a new report.

TMZ spoke with “sources familiar with the situation,” and they revealed that ABC is officially ready to move forward with a reboot of the show. They are expected to announce their plans in the “imminent” future after executives are done “fine tuning last-minute details.”

One of those details is how the creative team deals with the absence of Roseanne Barr‘s leading character, Roseanne Conner.

The players behind-the-scenes will also have to figure out how to deal with Barr’s financial stakes in the series. She was an executive producer on the series before its cancellation, and she also created the original series that this new show will be spun-off from.

These entanglements could mean ABC may be forced to pay Barr funds before they proceed or cut her in on the profits of the upcoming series.

Roseanne was cancelled after Barr shared a racist tweet about a former Barack Obama aide, Valerie Jarrett. While there were reportedly clauses in actors’ contracts to justify firings for these kinds of offenses, the producer credits may be harder to shake.

ABC was reportedly convinced to pull the trigger on a reboot after Roseanne producer Tom Werner stepped in and talked with network execs.

TMZ had previously reported that execs are keen on focusing on Darlene, the Conner family daughter played by Sara Gilbert. John Goodman is allegedly “very interested” in coming back for the new series, and numerous other cast and crew members are also interested.

ABC and most of the Roseanne cast have not commented on the reboot rumors as of press time.

Goodman was directly asked about reboot rumors by an cameraman on Wednesday but Goodman had no idea what he was referring to.

“Then you’ve heard more than I have,” Goodman said in the video, which was published by Entertainment Tonight.

Gilbert has spoken out about the cancellation and controversy several times. On The Talk, which Gilbert is a co-host of, she stood by ABC’s decision, while also expressing sympathy for those who lost their jobs because of Barr’s comment.

“I am proud of the show we made,” Gilbert said. “The show has always been about diversity, love [and] inclusion. And it’s sad to see it end in this way. I’m sad for the people who lost their jobs in the process, however I do stand behind the decision that ABC has made.”

Photo Credit: ABC