The Boondocks is coming to HBO Max for two new seasons and a special

Aaron McGruder will helm the series’ “reimagined” return in 2020.

September 18, 2019
<i>The Boondocks</i> is coming to HBO Max for two new seasons and a special HBO

The Boondocks is back. The beloved cartoon series will return for two seasons — that's 24 episodes total — plus a 50-minute special, airing on HBO Max in fall 2020. Aaron McGruder, the cartoon's creator, will act as the showrunner on the "reimagined" program. The show's original run of 55 episodes will also be available on a "direct-to-consumer offering," according to a statement.

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The Boondocks was a revolutionary series that sparked conversations on hot button issues and brought dark subjects into the light with episodes like ‘The Trial of Robert Kelly’, ‘The Fundraiser’ and ‘The Story of Gangstalicious’,” Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer of HBO Max, said in a statement. “Aaron is a gifted visionary whose unique style of storytelling is a welcome voice and we are elated The Freemans are making their thugnificent comeback on HBO Max.”

McGruder expressed excitement at returning to The Boondocks in his own statement: “There’s a unique opportunity to revisit the world of The Boondocks and do it over again for today. It’s crazy how different the times we live in are now — both politically and culturally — more than a decade past the original series and two decades past the original newspaper comic. There’s a lot to say and it should be fun.”

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The Boondocks originally premiered as a newspaper comic strip, and was brought to Adult Swim as an animated series in 2005. Following the adventures of black Americans Huey, Riley, and Grandpa Freeman in a white suburban neighborhood, the show ran for four seasons, though the despised fourth season was made without McGruder.

News of the show's return first broke in June. John Witherspoon will reportedly return to voice Grandpa Freeman, but it's unclear if Regina King will reprise her roles of Huey and Riley. In February, McGruder shared a bunch of new Boondocks comic strips.

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The Boondocks is coming to HBO Max for two new seasons and a special