The park is officially reopening. Regular Show: Lost Tapes, the long-rumored revival of the beloved Cartoon Network animated series, is scheduled to premiere in May 2026 across Central and Eastern European territories. The news comes via industry tracker TVLaint, citing Hungarian media outlet Mentrum’s programming grid analysis. While Warner Bros. Discovery has yet to issue an official statement, the report aligns with the revival’s June 2024 announcement at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where creator J.G. Quintel confirmed his return as showrunner.
This Regular Show revival arrives nearly a decade after the original series concluded its eight-season run in 2017. The subtitle “Lost Tapes” carries deliberate weight for longtime viewers. The original finale revealed that the entire show existed within a VHS tape that Pops watches from heaven, a metanarrative device that now provides the perfect framing device for unearthed adventures. The revival will likely explore “lost” episodes or stories set during the park workers’ earlier years, though Quintel and his team have kept plot details tightly guarded.
William Salyers, who has voiced the hyperactive raccoon Rigby since the 2009 pilot, addressed fan concerns about the revival overwriting the original ending during a recent interview. He emphasized that the upcoming series exists completely separate from the 2017 finale’s events, functioning as additional stories rather than a continuation that would erase Pops’ sacrificial death.
The actor’s reassurance matters deeply to a fanbase that watched the series conclude with “A Regular Epic Final Battle,” an emotional hour-long finale where Pops destroys himself alongside his evil twin Anti-Pops to save the universe. The episode flashed forward 25 years, showing Mordecai and Rigby as middle-aged friends reuniting to play vintage video games, their bond intact despite life taking them in different directions. Salyers confirms none of that gets undone.
Mark Hamill has already confirmed he will reprise his role as Skips, the immortal yeti who serves as the park’s resident handyman and voice of wisdom. Given Quintel’s involvement, the expectation is that most original cast members will return, though official confirmations remain sparse.
The May premiere applies specifically to Cartoon Network’s Central and Eastern European feed, which broadcasts in Hungary and surrounding territories. This limited launch mirrors how Cartoon Network handled The Amazing World of Gumball’s revival, which debuted internationally before reaching American audiences through Hulu. North American fans will likely wait longer, with streaming platforms like Hulu or Max emerging as probable homes given Warner Bros. Discovery’s current distribution strategy.
Canada presents a unique exception. Adult Swim holds broadcast rights there, meaning Regular Show: Lost Tapes could arrive through that channel rather than Cartoon Network proper. Corus Entertainment operates Canadian feeds independently, creating territory-specific release windows.
The timing matters. May aligns with the original show’s seasonal rhythm, and the Friday, May 1 date floating through industry speculation would place the premiere on International Workers’ Day, a fitting nod to a show about two groundskeepers who avoid work at all costs. Whether that specific date holds or the launch spreads across the month depends on Cartoon Network’s final programming decisions.
The Regular Show revival enters a crowded field of Cartoon Network nostalgia plays. Adventure Time: Side Quests and Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends are also expected in 2026, signaling Warner Bros. Discovery’s aggressive push to monetize its animated catalog. Unlike those properties, Regular Show ended on creatively satisfying terms, making the revival’s preservation of that finale especially welcome.
For now, fans in Central and Eastern Europe will experience Lost Tapes first. The rest of the world waits, but the message from Salyers is clear: the ending you cried through in 2017 remains exactly as it was. Everything else is bonus content.
