Drake Bell is open to creating a Drake & Josh reboot — or something similar. The 38-year-old musician revealed that he and his former on-screen stepbrother, Josh Peck, have “talked about” a potential project.
“I would love to. We’ve talked about it,” Drake said in an interview with The Patriot-News published on August 16. However, Drake noted that he “also didn’t want to do it when everyone was doing the reboots. It’s like, ‘OK, of course, let’s do a reboot because everyone’s doing reboots.’”
The “I Found a Way” singer-songwriter then pointed out that if they are “going to do something, it should be more special,” adding, “Let’s hit ’em with a bang, instead of, ‘oh, another reboot.’”
Although Drake did not name the reboots he was referring to, Nickelodeon has recently produced several sequel projects, including the iCarly series, Zoey 102 and Good Burger 2.
Elsewhere in his interview, Drake pointed out that he wouldn’t want to continue Drake & Josh with the same characters.
Drake Bell says he would be up for a ‘Drake & Josh’ reboot:
“I would love to. We’ve talked about it. (…) If we’re going to do something, it should be more special. Let’s hit ’em with a bang, instead of, ‘oh, another reboot.’” pic.twitter.com/HGcm194YMv
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 17, 2024
“I don’t think I would do us playing the characters from the show, or having [our sister] Meg,” he explained. “I think, luckily for us, it’s our names, so we can still play Drake and Josh. But I think it’d be funnier if we go on to doing other buddy comedies, you know. Something that is kind of a surprise, a little different. It would be more interesting.”
Drake’s comments come five months after it was revealed that he was sexually assaulted by a former Nickelodeon crew member named Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck) in the Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV docuseries. In 2004, Brian pleaded no contest to a charge of oral copulation with a minor under 16 and to a charge of performing a lewd act with a 14- or 15-year-old. At the time, Drake was not publicly identified as the victim. Brian spent 16 months in prison and was ordered to register as a sex offender. However, he was still hired to work on children’s shows following his prison release, including for the Disney Channel’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
@drakebell ♬ I kind of relate – Drake Bell
After Drake revealed that he was the victim in the case, Nickelodeon released a statement to Hollywood Life, which read, “Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward.”
Although Drake and Josh’s friendship had previously been fractured, the rock star pointed out in a March TikTok post that Josh “reached out to talk with me and help me work through this.”
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
