Abbott Elementary cast shares exciting updates at Comic-Con

A summer to remember: Comic-Con and beyond

What did the cast of Abbott Elementary do during their summer break? They headed to San Diego Comic-Con to share some thrilling details about the upcoming fourth season of the hit ABC comedy. Fresh off earning nine Emmy nominations, the most the show has received in a single season, Quinta Brunson and her co-stars—Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, William Stanford Davis, and Sheryl Lee Ralph—took the stage at the Indigo Ballroom to give fans a behind-the-scenes look.

A dream come true for Brunson

“This was my dream to come to Comic-Con,” Brunson said, soaking in the surreal moment. She mentioned how incredible it was to see the cast’s “big faces” on a billboard on the side of a San Diego hotel. Brunson was so excited that she even snuck into a panel to listen to Marvel chief Kevin Feige and Marvel Comics EIC C.B. Cebulski discuss character creation. “I was going to wear a Black Widow costume but I chickened out,” she confessed, much to the audience’s amusement.

Reflecting on the journey

When asked what has changed the most over the past three years, Brunson admitted that this experience marked the first time she’s stopped to feel proud of herself. “The last three years have been kind of a blur for me, and I’ve had to learn how to take moments and put my feet on the ground and look around,” she added. “Getting to be a sitcom at Comic-Con—’Abbott’ was almost a cartoon, and it wound up being live-action, but we didn’t lose our cartoon roots. It’s just special to be here.”

Season 3 finale recap

Before the panel, attendees were treated to a refresher screening of the Season 3 finale, titled “Party.” The episode saw Janine (Brunson) throw an epic end-of-year bash for all of Abbott’s teachers. The episode ends with the will-they-won’t-they romance between Janine and Gregory (Williams) moving firmly into the “they will” category when the teachers finally kiss.

What’s next for Janine and Gregory?

So, what happened after Gregory shut the door on the mockumentary crew so he and Janine could make out in private? All will be revealed when Abbott Elementary returns on Wednesday, October 9 at 9:30 PM on ABC. The show streams the next day on Hulu. The writers’ room is already hard at work on Season 4’s 22 episodes—about six of the stories have been broken thus far, according to executive producer Patrick Schumacker.

A surprising crossover

Brunson decided to break some news, surprising even some members of the cast: “We will be doing an interesting crossover this season,” she said, as the crowd gasped and cheered. “I’m not gonna tell you with who, or with what, or where, or when, but it’s really exciting and I think it’ll change television as we know it.” Lisa Ann Walter jokingly suggested “House of the Dragon.”

Speculations and excitement

Fresh off the panel, the cast of Abbott Elementary sat down to elaborate on that crossover episode. Shows like The Bear, The Simpsons, Grey’s Anatomy, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are a few in the Disney-owned catalog that Abbott Elementary could potentially cross over with. But Brunson’s keeping her lips tightly sealed. She did, however, express her excitement over the episode, reminiscing about how she loved watching Disney Channel’s crossover episodes like “That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana.”

“Those things are what reinvigorate TV viewers, TV watchers, and I think it’s always fun to find ways to reinvigorate our audiences,” she explained. “What’s important with ‘Abbott’ is we protect the show. Because it’s a ‘mockumentary’ we have to protect what we’re doing, but to find a way for it to still be possible to do something cool like that. It makes me really, really happy. It’s just like an ode to the medium.”

Character dynamics and future storylines

The cast also shared that one thing they’re looking forward to is seeing the characters interact outside of school. They confirmed that Melissa and Jacob will still be roommates in Season 4 and expressed a desire to continue exploring those character relations and dynamics.

Ava Coleman’s love life

Most importantly, has Ava Coleman (the beloved principal) found somebody to match her freak in Season 4? “I do not know, but that sounds exciting… who can match her freak is the question,” Janelle James said before pointing to Brunson and adding, “Who would I trust to match her freak, is this person right here.”

Watch the full interview

For more insights and to see the cast share their favorite moments from Season 3, watch the full interview.

Abbott Elementary fans, mark your calendars and get ready for an exciting new season filled with surprises, character development, and perhaps a groundbreaking crossover that will keep you talking for months.

For more details and to watch the trailer, visit Abbott Elementary.