Fox’s ‘In Living Color’ Reboot Is Officially ‘Not Gonna Happen’

Bad news for fans of In Living Color.

A reboot of the popular ’90s sketch comedy series is officially “not gonna happen,” according to chairman Kevin Reilly.

Reilly made the announcement during the network’s executive session at TCA Tuesday.

“It just didn’t come together for various reasons. The original set the bar so high, it didn’t seem like it was going to reinvent the next chapter,” Reilly said. “I’m not giving up all hope we can reboot that. The particular one we shot wasn’t it.”

As we reported in October 2011, Fox ordered a reboot of In Living Color almost two decades after the show went off the air. The remake was supposed to air midseason as two half-hour specials as part of Fox’s 25th anniversary celebration. There was also a series option attached to the specials, meaning In Living Color 2.0 — not the actual title — could have gotten picked up as a full series had the specials been successful.

The original had also aired midseason, premiering on April 15, 1990.

In Living Color launched the careers of several comedic actors, including the Wayans family, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, and David Alan Grier. It also helped launch the career of Jennifer Lopez and Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Ibaba, who were members of the show’s dance troupe, the Fly Girls. Actress Rosie Perez was the choreographer for the Fly Girls for the first four seasons.

The sketch comedy series ran for five seasons, ending its run on May 1994.

Are you disappointed that In Living Color won’t be returning to TV?