HBO orders five-episode Girls revival with core cast
HBO ordered a five-episode return of Lena Dunham's Girls, with Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet and Andrew Rannells set to reprise their roles. Production starts next year — 15 years after the premiere. Adam Driver is not listed among returning cast.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
HBO ordered a limited five-episode revival of Girls, the comedy Lena Dunham created that ran six seasons starting in 2012. Dunham returns as Hannah; Allison Williams (Marnie), Jemima Kirke (Jessa), Zosia Mamet (Shoshanna) and Andrew Rannells (Elijah) are also back. Dunham will executive produce with Judd Apatow, Ilene S. Landress and Michael P. Cohen; the four co-stars are co-executive producers. Production begins next year — 15 years after the premiere and 10 years after the Season 6 finale.
Why it matters
Girls helped define HBO's 2010s comedy slate and millennial culture coverage. A short-run return lets the creators revisit the characters at 40 without a full multi-season reboot. HBO comedy chief Amy Gravitt said the series will look at that milestone after charting the tumult of the characters' 20s.
What’s next
Filming is slated for 2027. Dunham said the cast would return only for a specific story — and that the characters "started talking" around her 40th birthday.
More context
What's still unknown: Whether Adam Driver returns; Deadline reported no sign of him in the announcement and noted Dunham's memoir Famesick described him as "verbally aggressive" during the original run. Longtime co-showrunner Jenni Konner is not returning; Dunham has said they have not spoken since 2018. Plot details beyond Dunham's shower-inspired pitch remain under wraps.
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Editorial sourcing notes
Deadline, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter (Oct. 13, 2026) all report HBO's five-episode order and returning cast. Driver absence and Konner non-return noted in Deadline; Dunham memoir characterization of Driver is attributed, not adopted as fact.
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