Amber Riley isn’t interested in a ‘Glee’ reboot — but would do a Mercedes spinoff in a heartbeat

Amber Riley has been asked about returning to a new version of Glee so often that she has an answer ready.

“I love answering this question,” Riley said Thursday when the subject came up on Monét X Change’s Monét Talks podcast. “No!”

Even if her lawyers and agents were able to secure a “sweet deal,” such as $40 million for three seasons? Riley’s answer appeared to remain unchanged.

“I just feel like what we did was so phenomenal, I don’t want to risk trying to reinvent the wheel,” Riley said. “Now if they redo it, I think that’s amazing, because there are so many kids now that are just now discovering Glee, and so I think that that’d be really dope. But, you know, we lost cast members. I just feel like the chemistry, that formula, was so specific, and it’s changed now, so I don’t know if it would be as effective.”

She added, “I’m always prepared for that question.”

Glee was a phenomenon with the kind of success that any network would love to repeat. Originally airing over six seasons, from 2009 to 2015, the show was a hit with critics — it won six Emmy Awards — and viewers alike. And the songs the New Directions glee club performed regularly soared to the top of the Billboard charts.

With a large cast that also included Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Mark Salling, Chris Colfer, Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Matthew Morrison, and Jane Lynch, the Fox musical comedy followed the adventures of a group of high school misfits singing their way through the awkward years — when they weren’t dodging slushies.

The Glee cast has suffered several losses, starting during its original run, when Monteith, who played the jock Finn, died of a drug overdose on July 13, 2013.

Salling (Puck) was determined to have died by suicide in January 2018, several months after having pleaded guilty to charges associated with possession of child pornography.

Rivera, who was known as spicy cheerleader Santana, accidentally drowned in July 2020, after going missing while boating with Josey, her 4-year-old son. Officials said that her son said she made sure to help him onto a boat before sinking into the water herself.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly‘s free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

As much as Riley was against a redo of her hit series, she said she would be all for a new show starring a certain diva.

“If Mercedes got a spinoff on her own, I would do that,” the actress said.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Find more information about suicide here.