'Modern Family' Season 11 Renewal Edges Closer to Reality as Cast Negotiates New Contracts

The Modern Family cast is negotiating new contracts, according to a report by Deadline, bringing the show one step closer to a Season 11 renewal.

Modern Family is in the middle of its 10th season right now, and there is still no official word on whether the show will be returning again next year. Things do look promising, however, as the adult cast members are reportedly negotiating new contracts — meaning that the announcement of one last season is most likely within sight.

Ed O'Neill (Jay Pritchett), Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy), Ty Burrell (Phil Dunphy), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Mitchell Pritchett), Eric Stonestreet (Cameron Tucker) and Sofia Vergara (Gloria Delgado-Pritchett) are all reportedly on the verge of new contracts with ABC. They may even be in the final stages, as they have reportedly moved on from financial terms to more detailed issues.

All six main adult cast members would most likely return for an eleventh season. In addition, the studio has reportedly held preliminary conversations with Sarah Hyland (Haley Dunphy), Ariel Winter (Alex Dunphy), Nolan Gould (Luke Dunphy) and Rico Rodriguez (Manny Delgado). By the sound of it, all of the young adult actors saw big raises the last time their contracts were renewed, and all are interested in reprising their roles yet again.

The prospective 11th season would likely consist of 18 total episodes. Season 10 is expected to go for a full 22 episodes, as have the previous seasons before it.

One big factor under consideration is likely that the show will probably get cheaper for all involved in making it next year. At the moment, Modern Family is produced by 20th Century Fox and aired by ABC. By this time next year, however, 20th Century Fox will join ABC under the Disney umbrella, making it an in-house production for one big company.

This means that the show could be become more profitable without changing a thing. This seems to be backed up by the whispers that the adult cast will be keeping their identical salaries from their last contract negotiations. O'Neill, Bowen, Burrell, Ferguson, Stonestreet and Vergara reportedly make about half a million dollars each per episode, while each also owns a piece of the show on the back end.

At this point, most fans are confident that Modern Family will be coming back, if nothing else because they have not heard otherwise yet. Back in August, showrunner Christopher Lloyd told Deadline that if Season 10 was to be the last, the decision would have to be made quickly.

"We need to know relatively soon because if it's the last season we need to know it's the last season so we can both recognize the show but also recognize the people who've been together for 10 years," he said.

Modern Family airs on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.