Hilarie Burton on the One Tree Hill Reboot : what she revealed and what fans can expect
The One Tree Hill reboot is one of the most anticipated TV revivals of the decade. During Union Convention’s fan event in Paris, Hilarie Burton opened up to us about returning to Tree Hill, her emotional connection to the series, and what the reboot could mean for longtime fans.
What we know so far about the One Tree Hill reboot
The potential reboot of One Tree Hill was first revealed in 2024, when Burton and Sophia Bush confirmed they were developing a sequel series with Netflix, alongside executive producer Danneel Ackles. The new story is expected to take place approximately 20 years after the original series finale and will reportedly focus on Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis as adults navigating careers, family life, and new personal challenges. Unlike traditional reboots, this sequel is being developed with Burton and Bush in creative control, allowing them to shape their characters’ futures. While scripts are currently in development, the project has not yet received a final greenlight, and additional casting, including whether Chad Michael Murray will return, has not been officially confirmed.
Hilarie Burton shares news about the One Tree Hill reboot
In an exclusive interview given in September 2025, Burton made it clear that returning to Tree Hill was a lot of pressure. Indeed, there are so many reboots nowadays that you need to do it right. However, the fact that Danneel Ackles and her husband, Jensen Ackles got a development deal with Warner Brothers sped up the process. In 2020, we learned that the couple had launched Chaos Machine Productions, including Renee Reiff, a former DC creative executive, as their head of development. The deal will allow the trio to create, develop and produce new shows for streaming services, cable, and the broadcast networks.
The reboot project seems to moving forward. As Hilarie explains in our interview, now they need to coordinate everyone’s schedule, and it’s not an easy part ! “Everyone is doing really well. If you’ve got a cast this big and everyone is free, that’s not a good sign. So it’s a good sign” says the actress.
A powerful creative partnership with Sophia Bush
One of the strongest elements behind the reboot is Burton’s ongoing collaboration with Sophia Bush. Their on-screen friendship between Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis became one of the show’s emotional pillars, and their real-life bond remains just as strong. In this interview, Hilarie explains why she thinks Sophia and her are still close. According to her, they want the best for each other in every chapter of their life, and that’s one of the most important thing in friendship ! There’s never been competition between them to the point where they’re working on a One Tree Hill reboot together ! You can watch below Hilarie Burton’s full interview on her experience in the CW show, her relationship with Sophia Bush but also Chad Michael Murray, and Peyton and Lucas’ story.
If you want to learn more on the One Tree Hill reboot, you can watch what Sophia Bush had to say on it here and even James Lafferty’s point on view on this project here.