Why Dawson’s Creek revival with original stars never took off

A Dawson’s Creek revival almost became a reality, but the busy schedules of the original stars, including Joshua Jackson, stopped it from happening.

The show’s creator, Kevin Williamson, recently revealed that there were serious talks about bringing the beloved drama back with its original cast.

Speaking on the set of his new Netflix series The Waterfront, Kevin Williamson shared that after the wave of virtual reunions during the pandemic, interest in a Dawson’s Creek reboot grew.

He said, “They kept trying and trying to get me, trying to get James, trying to get Katie, and get us all involved.”

Joshua Jackson, who played Pacey, was reportedly on board at times, but the cast’s schedules never matched up.

“James wanted to do it, but then Josh was busy. Katie wanted to do it, then James was busy,” Williamson explained. Despite the enthusiasm, they just couldn’t get everyone together at the same time.

Joshua Jackson has stayed busy with new projects, including Doctor Odyssey and the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends film. His career success played a part in the revival not coming together, as did the busy lives of co-stars Katie Holmes and James Van Der Beek.

Dawson’s Creek, which ended in 2003, wrapped up with a major time jump and a heart-breaking farewell to Michelle Williams’ character Jen.

The ending felt complete to many fans, and Williamson agrees. “We did the finale, we felt it was complete, we did five years in the future,” he said.

Although Joshua Jackson was interested in returning, Williamson now believes a full reboot may not be the right path. He hinted that a new version might work if it focused on the next generation, but for now, there are no firm plans.

While the cast, especially Joshua Jackson, showed interest, it seems a Dawson’s Creek revival with the original stars won’t be happening anytime soon.