1996 Classic Hit Film Is Officially Being Reimagined With Star-Studded Cast 30 Years Later
Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. are getting the band back together.
The New Girl co-stars will reunite to star in and executive produce a new Hulu comedy pilot inspired by The Cable Guy, the 1996 Jim Carrey cult classic. The timing is fitting: the pilot order lands on the movie's 30th anniversary.
A 'New Girl' Reunion
Both actors appeared in the original pilot of New Girl, the Fox comedy from Liz Meriwether. Damon Wayans Jr. had to drop out early when his series Happy Endings was unexpectedly renewed, so producers introduced a new character, played by Lamorne Morris, in Episode 2. Wayans Jr. returned in Season 3 and became a regular in Season 4, while Jake Johnson stayed for all seven seasons.
What the New Show Is About
The untitled pilot gives the 1996 premise a streaming-age makeover. Johnson plays Chip Douglas, an old-school cable technician who reconnects with a childhood friend, Steven Stephens (Wayans Jr.), when Steven calls to turn his cable back on. Their bond gives each man something he has been missing, until Chip's enthusiasm curdles into obsession. The show explores "the darkly absurd side of modern-day male friendship."
It comes from writers Rob Rosell (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and the Cobra Kai duo Joe Piarulli and Luan Thomas, who are honoring the film rather than remaking it. The original, directed by Ben Stiller, was a modest box-office performer that grew into a cult hit.
For longtime New Girl fans, a reunion with a Cable Guy twist is a very welcome surprise.
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 6:25 PM.