Actor Bryton James, who played little Richie Crawford on the original show, is behind an effort to bring Family Matters back—not as a traditional sitcom revival, but as an animated reboot.
According to James, he’s “trying to pursue” the project with Warner Bros. Animation and claims the idea has gotten “pretty far along.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, James explained:
“Animation lets us bring back the magic. All the wild inventions, the transformations, the time travel—those were some of the most fun parts of the show.”
He’s not wrong. Family Matters wasn’t just a sitcom about a Black middle-class family in Chicago; it was also a surprisingly sci-fi-friendly show where Urkel (Jaleel White) built a cloning machine and turned into his cool alter ego, Stefan Urquelle.
With animation, that zaniness could be dialed up even more, and, importantly, it gives the cast freedom to return as their iconic characters without worrying about aging or continuity.
Even more exciting? The original cast is reportedly on board, including White, Kellie Williams, and Reginald VelJohnson.
While White is open to the animated reboot, he’s also expressed skepticism toward traditional reboots and revealed a very different idea.
In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, White said:
“I actually pitched a semi-autobiographical concept. It wasn’t about Urkel’s son or some cheesy reboot. It was about a kid growing up in public school while working on a hit sitcom. That was my story.”
His version would be more behind-the-scenes, a grounded dramedy with nostalgic vibes, showing what it was like to live between two worlds: school and stardom. Think The Wonder Years meets Abbott Elementary, with a ‘90s Hollywood twist.
And here’s the thing, fans kind of love that idea.
Would you watch an animated Family Matters reboot?
Photo Credit: CBS
