Millennials are currently living for the recent wave of old television shows and movies that are returning for our viewing pleasure. Disney+ is taking full advantage of the trend, leading the way by making its vault of classics available to the public and reimagining some of its most beloved programming for a new generation. Among those reboots is the animated series The Proud Family, and its creators have signed on to bring up brand new episodes.
Before the show was added to Disney+ at the beginning of this year, fans were astonished to see that The Proud Family was not among the first wave of throwback films and series on the app. How could there be Kim Possible and Xenon but no Penny Proud? Fortunately, teased one original cast member amidst the outcry, fans wouldn’t have to wait much longer to catch up with Penny and her hilarious family and friends.
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Jo Marie Payton, who voiced the vivacious Suga Mama, promised in November that The Proud Family would return, complete with brand new adventures. “Yeah, Suga’s large and in charge,” Payton teased on an episode Strahan, Sara and Keke. “That’s all I’ve got to say — except for Suga Mama will be doing some new episodes come February.”
It may have been hearsay in January, but Disney has now confirmed that the show will be rebooted. And it’ll be just the way you remember it because its creators and original voice cast are returning for the remake, officially titled The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
Bringing Penny’s world back to the screen was something that The Proud Family’s creators Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar had always wanted to do. “In our minds, the show never really went away, as we still had tons of stories left to tell,” Smith and Farquhar shared in a joint statement. “It's the perfect time to bring back this show, and we can't wait to take fans, old and new alike, on this journey with us."
While the duo is keeping hush-hush on what we can expect to see in the reboot, Disney's executives are promising a story that will resonate with its audience. "The genius of the original Proud Family series was that, under the guise of a family comedy, it provided a brilliant social commentary on our life and times," said Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide. "With this new series, Bruce and Ralph will once again challenge everyone to think differently about the world we share."
Disney+ may have some limits, but that's not going to stop me from letting my imagination run wild about what Penny and company are going to get into on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. I want to see episodes about anti-Blackness, the gender wage gap, immigration, and more — we've got a lot to talk about, people. If any kid's show has the range, it's The Proud Family.