‘Abbott Elementary’ Stars Want to ‘Pursue Other Projects,’ Quinta Brunson Says

The end of Abbott Elementary might be closer than you think.

Creator and star Quinta Brunson revealed that the cast of the beloved ABC sitcom wants to pursue other projects.

Abbott was renewed for Season 5 back in January and was one of the first shows on the 2024-25 schedule to be cleared for next season. Despite it being a critical darling, it seems like the cast may be ready to move on. Along with Brunson, the main cast consists of Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and William Stanford Davis. Brunson spoke to Bustle about the show’s future, admitting that some of the actors are itching to do more than just the series.

“We are so fortunate and blessed to be on a network TV show for five seasons, and for people to still be fans,” Brunson said. “That being said, I have cast members who would love to pursue other projects, and our show is very time-consuming. We shoot about seven months out of the year. That can stop people from being able to do a lot of other things.”

Considering how successful Abbott Elementary is, it’s not surprising that much of the cast would be offered other projects or at the very least, that they would want to do more. It’s hard to do other films or shows when you’re committed to a TV series, whether it’s a contract thing or just scheduling. It’s normal for an actor who has been doing the same thing for so long to want to branch out, and it was only just a matter of time before the Abbott cast felt like that. That being said, Brunson is excited for what the future holds, both for herself and others.

“Right now, I’m receiving scripts and waiting for that moment that feels like, ‘Oh man, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for,’” she said. “Abbott has been so successful, and I want to use that success to get other people’s projects off the ground. I’m always interested in playing against type. I think that’s any actor’s dream. Right now, my type is ‘Janine’ and ‘teacher.’ I’m looking forward to moving away from that a little bit.”

As of now, it’s unknown what the future holds for Abbott Elementary, but fans will be able to look forward to Season 5, premiering this fall on ABC. An exact premiere date should be announced later this summer. In the meantime, the first four seasons are streaming on Hulu.