XOXO (seriously): Gossip Girl reboot canceled at HBO Max

Afternoon, Upper East Siders—it is looking absolutely bleak out here. HBO Max has canceled its Gossip Girl reboot as the series moves towards wrapping up its second season.

“Although we are not moving forward with a third season of Gossip Girl, we thank them for the enticing love triangles, calculated backstabbing and impeccable fashion this series brought to a new audience,” HBO Max shares in a statement, via Variety.

The streamer greenlit the series for a second season back in September 2021, citing season 1's “record viewership” and TikTok traction. Although season 1 was somewhat panned, The A.V. Club’s Saloni Gajjar deemed season 2, which premiered last December, as “significantly better,” also lauding its ability to exist as “an escape, not a reality check.”

Creator Joshua Safran confirmed the cancellation news via social media “with the heaviest of hearts,” thanking the network, writers, cast, and crew for their tireless efforts.

“This was honestly the greatest set I ever worked on, top to bottom,” Safran writes, alongside a still of the series’ main cast looking (per usual) both fashionable and incredulous.

Although Safran did confirm that the series is “currently looking for another home,” he also admitted that that process will likely be an “uphill battle.” (Gossip Girl is far from the first series unceremoniously canceled and/or removed by HBO in recent months.) For now, fans will have to get their last luxury and laughs in on January 26, when the series finale airs.

“If this is the end, at least we went out on the highest of highs,” Safran concludes. “Thank you for watching, and I hope you’ll tune into the finale next Thursday to see how it all comes together. xoxo”