Is A Fairly OddParents Sequel Series Happening?
[Update: Nickelodeon has officially ordered "Fairly OddParents: A New Wish" to series. It will premiere on the cable channel in Spring 2024 before hitting Netflix later in the year.]
"Fairly OddParents" may not be quite as universally recognizable as Nickelodeon's flagship series ("SpongeBob SquarePants," of course), but the very funny series about wish-granting fairy godparents that only kids can see seems to be just as prolific. Though the original animated series last aired in 2017, live-action movies and a live-action Paramount+ spinoff series have kept the world of Cosmo (Daran Norris) and Wanda (Susanne Blakeslee) alive over the years. Now, thanks to a report from What's On Netflix (via CBR), rumors are swirling that another animated series set within the same cartoon universe as the original may be in the works at Netflix.
The original run of "Fairly OddParents" followed spiky-haired pre-teen Timmy Turner (Tara Strong) through a not-so-great adolescence that suddenly got a lot better when he discovered he had fairy godparents to help him through. Cosmo and Wanda were far from your traditional Disney fairies, though, and pretty much every wish Timmy ever made backfired in a hilarious, ridiculous way. Throughout its 10 season run, "Fairly OddParents" introduced new characters like baby fairy Poof, talking dog Sparky, and girl next door Chloe, but the show never actually had a proper ending. What should fans expect from a sequel, and how likely is it to actually come to fruition? Here's what we know so far.
Why hasn't the Fairly OddParents sequel series happened yet?
In short, it has. The live action "Fairly OddParents" movies starring Drake Bell and Daniella Monet served as a sequel to the series even as it was still going, checking back in on Timmy as a childish 23-year-old trying not to grow up enough to cause his fairies to abandon him. The first film, "A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner!" broke with existing lore to reveal that Timmy could keep his fairies as an adult so long as he focused only on unselfish wishes. Two follow-up films didn't reach the ratings high of the original, and the grown-up Timmy Turner universe seemed to have fizzled by 2014. Bell has since pled guilty to charges related to endangering a minor, so he almost certainly won't be involved in the series moving forward.
At this point, the world of "Fairly OddParents" seems to have a very loose inter-series chronology, but What's On Netflix has reported that the potential upcoming show would feature a new main character, making it possibly more of a reboot than another direct sequel. Reports of the series' existence only started making the rounds in January 2024, so it'll likely be a while before the show makes its way to Netflix if it is indeed in development. Nick Alive noted last year that patents have been registered for several different categories under the name "Fairly OddParents: A New Wish," further proving that something's definitely in the works.
Everything the original cast and crew has said about a Fairly OddParents sequel
The only other official bit of intel about "Fairly OddParents: A New Wish" came last summer, when series star Daran Norris stopped by "Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide" to catch up with his co-stars from another much-loved Nickelodeon show. At the time, Norris said, "I don't know if I can talk about this, but I believe there's a reboot in the mix." He noted that the project in question was not the same as the live-action animation hybrid series "The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder," which streamed on Paramount+ but has since been removed from the streamer.
"We did a live-action animation hybrid for Paramount+, we did a bunch of episodes of 'Oddparents'...and now we're in the process of doing something new," Norris told co-hosts Devon Werkheiser, Lindsey Shaw, and Daniel Curtis Lee. "It's the show that won't stay dead," Norris continued candidly, adding, "It's not that it won't die. It just will not stay dead, and I'm so grateful."
What could happen in Fairly OddParents: A New Wish?
If initial reports from What's On Netflix and elsewhere prove true (Netflix so far hasn't confirmed the existence of a new "Fairly OddParents" show, but made a deal to stream some classic Nick shows in 2022), the latest series will follow a brand-new character named Hazel Wells, another 10-year-old (just like Timmy Turner!). Like "Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder," the new series will feature a girl protagonist, although Hazel reportedly has a different backstory. She apparently discovers her fairy godparents after experiencing some angst-inducing upheaval, including her brother going away to college, her dad getting a new job, and the family moving to the city (which is called Dimmadelphia, because of course it is).
While not much else is known about the plot of "Fairly OddParents: A New Wish," the series is said to feature pink-haired Wanda and neon green-coiffed Cosmo, who What's On Netflix describe as "coming out of retirement to grant Hazel her wishes." When audiences last saw Cosmo and Wanda, Timmy had gifted the duo to his cousins for the Paramount+ series, but there's some mixed-up mythology here as the pair were still with Timmy as an adult in his own live-action movies. With the show's creative relationship to its own canon in mind, it's possible the new series will come up with any number of reasons why Hazel — who as of yet doesn't seem to be related to Timmy — would end up with Cosmo and Wanda.
Who will the stars of Fairly OddParents: A New Wish be?
Voice actors Daran Norris and Susan Blakeslee are set to return for the new series in the roles of Cosmo and Wanda, per What's On Netflix. Norris confirmed as much on the "Ned's Declassified" podcast last year, and he and Blakeslee were still playing the much-loved characters as recently as 2022.
According to the initial report, voice actress and "Craig of the Creek" writer Ashleigh Crystal Hairston will be voicing new wish-maker Hazel. Hairston's potential involvement in the series is a promising sign, given that she's a talented comedic actor who's appeared on everything from variety and talk shows like "Comedy Bang! Bang!" and "Conan" to animated series like "Avengers Assemble" and "Tiny Toons Looniversity." She also voiced Wren and other characters on "Craig of the Creek," and appeared in live action sitcoms like "The Neighborhood" and "Modern Family."
As the series remains unconfirmed by Netflix, details about "Fairly OddParents: A New Wish" including the full cast list and release date have not yet been announced.