Is Gravity Falls Coming Back in 2024? Unlikely, But Fans Still Hold Out Hope
Sorry to break it to you, but there has been no official confirmation yet from Disney or series creator Alex Hirsch that Gravity Falls will be returning for a third season in 2024.
As a huge Gravity Falls fan myself, I wish I had better news – but unfortunately, it seems a 2023 return is improbable at this point based on what Hirsch and Disney have indicated.
However, I know how passionately the Gravity Falls fandom wants the show to come back. And there are still some reasons to hold out a glimmer of hope. As a gamer and animation fanatic, I‘ve done some digging into the factors at play here. Read on for my in-depth analysis on the chances of Gravity Falls season 3!
Why Fans Remain Hopeful for a Comeback
While Hirsch intended Gravity Falls to be a finite two-season show, various compelling reasons keep the fanbase wishing for more. These include:
Lingering Questions and Unresolved Plots
Gravity Falls excelled at mysteries and elaborate storylines. But some fans feel certain character arcs and world-building questions weren‘t fully wrapped up by the end:
What really happened to Grunkle Stan‘s brother Ford during his interdimensional travels?
What adventures did a young Stan and Ford go on? How did they get separated?
What‘s the full history of the town‘s foundings by Quentin Trembley and Nathaniel Northwest?
What other supernatural creatures and societies exist out there beyond what we‘ve seen?
In my opinion, the show left enough tantalizing gaps to justify revisiting it to tie up loose ends. Hirsch is a master of cleverly weaving interconnected plots that pay off seasons later. I could totally see him bringing back the series to capitalize on unfinished business.
Strong Ratings Performance
During its 2012-2016 run on Disney XD, Gravity Falls was a top ratings draw, at times outperforming other Disney shows among key demos.
Specific data points:
- 5.08 million viewers for the "Not What He Seems" S2 episode, Disney XD‘s most-watched telecast at the time
- 3.7 million views for the series finale (two episodes spliced together)
- Consistently ranked #1 in its time slot for kids 6-14
Animated shows with that level of audience demand are rare. From a business perspective, the ratings provide incentive for Disney to release more episodes. Their paid streaming platform Disney+ could also drive interest in new Gravity Falls content.
Passionate Fan Community
The sheer passion and activity of Gravity Falls fans since the finale gives Disney plenty of reason to bring it back. The fandom has stayed very engaged online:
- Gravity Falls Facebook page has over 1.3 million followers
- Over 221,000 Gravity Falls works on fanfic site Archive of Our Own
- Change.org petition for season 3 has over 139,000 signatures
This amount of continued enthusiasm for the show makes a compelling case – why not give the fans more of what they‘re literally asking for? While fandoms for most shows die down after cancellation, that hasn‘t happened here.
Potential for Spinoffs
Disney has created successful spinoffs for other franchises like Star vs. The Forces of Evil, continuing storylines with new characters.
For Gravity Falls, potential spinoff ideas include:
- Focusing on the youth of Grunkle Stan and Ford
- Following supporting characters like Wendy, Soos or Pacifica
- Crossover with Amphibia or The Owl House
Dipper and Mabel are likely too old now to continue portraying – the voice actors‘ ages become very noticeable at this point. But spinoffs provide ways to still expand the Gravity Falls universe for fans.
What Could Season 3 Cover?
If Disney miraculously announces Gravity Falls season 3, the storylines and character arcs I‘d love to see explored include:
- Backfilling origin stories on Stan, Ford, Fiddleford, and other prominent figures
- Journeys to more mind-bending alternate dimensions
- Investigating the true extent of Quentin Trembley‘s influence on the town
- Pacifica rebelling against her parents and changing the Northwest legacy
- Dipper and Mabel in high school, allowing more mature storytelling
- Further exploring the dynamics of Dipper‘s friend group
- Crossovers with other Disney shows through magical interdimensional travel – imagine the possibilities!
My fanfiction-loving imagination goes wild picturing what the show could cover with another season. Especially if they let it experiment with a slightly darker tone given the aging up of the characters.
Potential Release Date – 2023 Seems Unlikely
Part of me wishes Gravity Falls season 3 could materialize as soon as 2023. However, looking at the logistics, that seems highly improbable.
Animated series typically take over a year per season. For comparison:
- Gravity Falls seasons 1 and 2 each took about 12-13 months from conception to release
- Disney‘s The Owl House took over a year between seasons 1 and 2
- Amphibia‘s seasons 1-3 spanned 2018 to 2021
Given that schedules, 2023 seems too fast of a turnaround.
Realistically, 2024 or 2025 would be the earliest I‘d expect if they did greenlight a restart. That allows plenty of time for Hirsch and his team to reassemble and craft animation. Plus, Hirsch still has his hands full with his new Netflix show Inside Job for now.
My optimistic side hopes storyboarding is secretly underway for a 2024 Gravity Falls premiere! But I won‘t get too attached to that possibility yet.
The Show Creator‘s Thoughts
Series creator Alex Hirsch has thrown some cold water on hopes of continuing Gravity Falls, indicating he accomplished what he set out to do with two seasons.
However, he hasn‘t slammed the door completely. In a 2020 Reddit AMA Hirsch stated:
"I don‘t have any plans to make more Gravity Falls." However, he intriguingly added "Never say never."
That slight bit of openings gives me a sliver of optimism that maybe in a few more years, he‘d consider revisiting his masterpiece. With some convincing from Disney and offers of complete creative control, I hold out hope he could change his mind!
The Enthusiastic Fandom Isn‘t Giving Up
The ball remains in Disney and Alex Hirsch‘s court to decide whether Gravity Falls will ride again. But one thing‘s for sure – the fandom isn‘t going to stop fighting for it.
There is still so much love and demand for this show. As a superfan myself, I‘ll be rewatching my old DVDs over and over, analyzing every frame for hints – and waiting to see if the Falls get mysterious once more.
What do you think? Should Disney bring back Gravity Falls for season 3? Am I just overly optimistic? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! In the meantime, stay weird out there as we keep wishing for the impossible return of this one-of-a-kind series.
