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It's Official: 'Arrested Development' Is Coming Back For A Fifth Season

"Narcissistic, erratically behaving family in the building business ― and their desperate abuses of power ― are really underrepresented on TV these days,” series creator Mitchell Hurwitz said in a statement.
L. Cohen via Getty Images
L. Cohen via Getty Images

Everyone’s favorite dysfunctional mess of a family is returning to Netflix.

The streaming company made it official on Wednesday when it announced that the entire “Arrested Development” gang is getting back together for a fifth season.

That’s right: Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Will Arnett, Tony Hale, Portia de Rossi, David Cross and Alia Shawkat are all signed on, and the season is expected to drop next year.

The announcement made official what had felt increasingly inevitable in recent months. In January, executive producer Brian Grazer confirmed that “all of the actors have agreed to do it.” The primary holdup had been everyone’s ever-conflicting schedules ― which had reportedly had an effect on Season 4.

But, Grazer said, “We found a way to create the compensation structure for all the actors and create a work matrix so they can still make movies and do other things and it will all integrate.”

Last week, Bateman all but confirmed Season 5 was happening when he tweeted that he had “officially signed on to more ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.”

“In talks with Netflix we all felt that stories about a narcissistic, erratically behaving family in the building business ― and their desperate abuses of power ― are really underrepresented on TV these days,” series creator Mitchell Hurwitz said in a statement.

“I am so grateful to them and to 20th TV for making this dream of mine come true in bringing the Bluths, George Sr., Lucille and the kids; Michael, Ivanka, Don Jr., Eric, George-Michael, and who am I forgetting, oh Tiffany. Did I say Tiffany? — back to the glorious stream of life.”

Ron Howard, an executive producer on the show and its narrator, expressed his excitement as well after having to remain mum for so long.

“Whew! I can finally answer the question… Hell yes! Warming up my uncredited narrator vocal chords. Now the only thing I will have to be coy about is all the craziness the Bluths are going to face this season,” Howard said.

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