The 4400 Reboot Release Date, Cast, And Plot - What We Know So Far

"The 4400" was one of the more unique shows from the early 2000s. Starring Mahershala Ali, "The 4400" was about a group of 4400 people who had all gone missing since 1946, and then suddenly returned to Washington state in 2004, without aging a day and with no memory of how they got there. Since "The 4400" there have been several shows about people returning from the dead, ("Resurrected," "Glitch," "The Returned"), but "The 4400" did it first.

It was also the kind of show that its original network, USA, probably wouldn't make today — but "The 4400" came out in 2004, at a time when USA was pivoting to original programming and was willing to try almost anything, including sci-fi.

"The 4400" was the kind of show that could only have been made in 2004, so it was a bit of a surprise when The CW ordered a reboot in early 2021 after years in development. Based on the information available so far, it looks like the reboot will be much different than the original, and very much suitable for modern times. The big question is, will recapture lightning in a bottle?

Here's everything we know about the upcoming reboot, which is simply called "4400."

Updated September 14, 2021: This article has been updated with firm release date information from an August sneak peek inside the reboot.

The CW picked up "4400" for a straight-to-series order in February 2021, along with three other pilots: a live-action "Powerpuff Girls" series, the superhero drama "Naomi," and a dramedy about millennial nuns (via Deadline). Deadline also reported that The CW will be filming at least three pilots this year. The CW has since decided to pass on the nun dramedy (via The Hollywood Reporter), so that pretty much guaranteed "4400" would be filmed in 2021, barring a last-minute reversal.

The CW's fall season usually begins in October, one month earlier than the other broadcast networks. However, the coronavirus pandemic jumbled up The CW's calendar: the kickoff to the 2020-2021 broadcast season was pushed from October 2020 to January 2021. Nonetheless, The CW's CEO Mark Pedowitz has committed to returning to October releases (via The Hollwyood Reporter).

Thankfully, a firm release date recently came alongside a tantalizing sneak peek at the reboot. "The 4400" will premiere on October 25 at 9 p.m. Eastern.

On May 24, 2021, Deadline announced the first five additions to the cast. First up is TL Thompson ("Straight White Men"). He'll be playing Dr. Andre, a transgender physician who disappeared from 1920's Harlem. Even though his medical skills are a century out of date, he quickly adjusts to 2021 and treats his fellow returnees.

Cory Jeacoma ("Power Book II: Ghost") will play Logan, a single father whose spouse Shanice returns after going missing in 2005, missing out on most of their child's childhood.

Derrick A. King has been cast as Reverend Johnson, a minister who vanished in the 1990s. He becomes a leader of the 4400. He comes from a privileged background, growing up in a wealthy family.

Newcomer Autumn Best will be playing Mildred, a teenager from the 1970s. She's one of the few among the 4400 who don't have a problem moving on from her past.

Finally, Ireon Roach ("School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play") has been cast as Keisha, a parole officer who's been called in to help manage and monitor the 4400. She experienced a personal tragedy that leaves her anxious about the effect the 4400 will have on society.

As reported by Deadline, the CW reboot will use the same basic story as the first show, exploring the lives of 4400 people who have returned to the present, as well as the effect their return has on society.

This time around, the 4400 be returning to Detroit, Michigan instead of Washington state. But the main difference between the reboot and its predecessor is that the new show will focus on "overlooked, undervalued or otherwise marginalized people." The recent casting announcement above gives a snapshot of who some of those characters will be, but with over four thousand people in the mix, the possibilities are endless.

The reboot of "The 4400" is very much in line with a recent push for more diversity in television industry, which has seen some recent improvement in terms of casting diversity, but still falls short at the executive level (according to UCLA). It also follows recent comments from Mark Pedowitz, the CEO of The CW: Pedowitz said that while the network had been trying to address its diversity problem, there's still work to do. "What I want to do is improve ourselves so we're more reflective of the society at hand," Pedowitz told Deadline. "We need to do a better job internally and externally. I'll cop to that. We need to create a legacy for the CW so the next generation that we hire that is reflective of society."

That's an admirable goal, and it looks like the reboot of "The 4400" is a good start.