‘Arrested Development’ Season 5: Will Netflix Continue the Franchise?

At long last, the day is nearly upon us when 'Arrested Development' season 4 arrives on Netflix in its entirety, granting the collective fandom's seven-year wish for new episodes. We know the 15 new episodes will unfold in a different format than we're used to, but has Netflix finally made a decision about a season 5 or even a potential movie? Hear what series creator Mitch Hurwitz has to say inside!

Where years ago the idea of an 'Arrested Development' union existed largely as a pipe dream, this Sunday May 26 will finally see the Bluth family return for all-new episodes. Yet even with the 15-episode anthology, fans continually wonder if Netflix or another studio will finally finance the long-awaited movie, or perhaps additional seasons of the show.

Series creator Mitch Hurwitz delivered a lengthy interview with Rolling Stone that addressed the surprise return of the series, which had originally been plotted a number of ways, and ultimately shot in such a ragtag format that simple two-character scenes could be shot months apart, and in green screen. As for the prospect of a movie, however, Hurwitz remained confident Netflix would continue to support the franchise:

This is definitely the first part of a bigger story. I know there's more story and I've mapped out the story. I'm confident in how that will be. Still, I wouldn't have predicted this Netflix thing years ago. The creative people involved in this want to do more together. The actors want to do more of this. I want to do more of this. The writers want it. I think every part of it will be easier, unless this is a giant debacle, which is also a possibility. In that case, we'll do it as a little stage show.

I've got to see how this goes. I do have the movie all outlined. Maybe it's not a movie, though. I don't know. Maybe it's another series? Maybe it's something . . . I think I'll probably dive into it pretty soon, if this is well-received.

‘Arrested Development’ season 4 features a guest roster of ‘Cougar Town‘s’ Busy Philipps and comedian Natasha Leggero, ‘The Office‘s’ John Krasinksi, Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen, ‘Up All Night’ star Chris Diamantopoulos, Conan O’Brien and Andy Richter, ‘Parks and Recreation‘s’ Ben Schwartz, all three stars of Comedy Central’s ‘Workaholics,’ Terry Crews and Isla Fisher, as well as returning series players Ed Helms, Alan Tudyk, Martin Mull, Ben Stiller, James Lipton, Carl Weathers, Jeff Garlin, Liza Minnelli, Judy Greer, Henry Winkler and Scott Baio.

Well, what say you? We've heard differing accounts from Netflix in the past, but do you think the Bluths would return for more 'Arrested Development'? How do you think fans will respond to the new episodes?