Girls Revival: Everything to Know About Lena Dunham's Return to the Hit HBO Series

Girls proved Lena Dunham is more than just a voice of a generation, and she still has more to say as Hannah Horvath.

On October 13, the 40-year-old millennial oracle announced a surprise revival of the hit HBO series on Instagram, sharing a FaceTime call with original cast members Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, and Jemima Kirke. “We used to spend like every summer together, you know, doing this thing that we do, making the show," she asked the group, who still seem to embody their characters Marni Michaels, Shoshanna Shapiro, and Jessa Johansson. "And is it is it something that you would want to do again?”

With the most important cast members on board, there was only one last person to ask: “I'm in, but only because you trash cans need constant supervision,” said Andrew Rannells, who played Elijah Krantz on all six seasons of Girls, which aired on HBO from 2012—2017.

Ten(ish) years later, the dysfunctional besties are getting back together for five more episodes of the Emmy-award winning comedy. Here's everything we know about the Girls revival, from casting announcements to production timelines.

What is the Girls revival called?

The Sex and the City revival was called And Just Like That, but Girls is keeping its original name, despite Lena Dunham's concern that they're “old as—.”

When is Girls coming back?

No dates have been announced yet, but production is set to begin in summer 2027. Our most generous guess would be a winter 2028 premiere, but we could be looking at a longer wait.

How many episodes will the Girls revival be?

There will be five additional episodes of the series, according to the press release.

Why is Girls coming back now?

“We always said we would only return to Girls if there was a specific story we were burning to tell,” Dunham said in a press release. “I've missed these characters, but for a long time I couldn’t quite picture them in the present day. Then, right around my fortieth birthday, they started talking to me in the shower. And, as you may remember, once this fivesome starts talking it’s pretty hard to get them to stop…”

She continued, “It’s rare that you get the chance to return to something that changed your life with the gift of hindsight and a whole new level of gratitude and understanding. I love these girls (and boy), our friends at HBO, and all the people who have continued to discover the show and remind us afresh why we do this, which is the joy of being together… and the chance to wear yellow mesh…”

Who is working behind the scenes?

Dunham is back as writer, star, creator, and executive producer, alongside former mentor and executive producer Judd Apatow. Ilene S. Landress and Michael P. Cohen for Good Thing Going are also on board as executive producers. Cast members Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, and Andrew Rannells will also serve as co-executive producers.

So, who else is returning?

We know the core four (and Rannells) are in, but what about the rest of the OG cast? So far, only Dunham, Williams, Kirke, Mamet, and Rannells' are confirmed to return. Nothing else is set in stone, but it seems unlikely Christopher Abbott will return as Charlie, given his abrupt exit in 2013. But what about Adam Driver, who kickstarted his illustrious career as Hannah Horvath's surly, unpredictable love interest, Adam?

Dunham wrote about her tumultuous working relationship with Driver in her 2026 memoir, Famesick, describing the actor as “short-tempered and verbally aggressive, condescending and physically imposing,” but also “protective” and “loving even.” According to Deadline, Dunham claims they have not been in contact since the show wrapped in 2017.

When asked about her memoir during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, People reports Driver had “no comment,” joking that he was “saving it all for my book.”

So, what does their potential absence mean for the series? “If the show Girls relied on guys, we'd be up a creek without a paddle,” Dunham said of Abbott's exit back in 2013, per The Los Angeles Times. Surely, that remains true in 2027.

Even so, I'm hoping we'll still get Alex Karpovsky as Ray, who ended the series as a city council board member with a successful café. Every millennial friend group needs their regular coffee shop, right?!

This article will be updated as new information is revealed. For a refresh on where every character on Girls ended up, Glamour has you covered here.