Reboots are everywhere now, bro. If an old animated series had even a tiny fanbase, somebody in Hollywood is probably asking whether it can be revived, remade, or turned into a “legacy sequel”. Cartoon Network is already riding that wave too, with Mordecai and Rigby coming back through Regular Show: The Lost Tapes — though that project sounds more like a continuation than a full reset.
But not every classic needs, or can survive, the reboot treatment. For Malaysian and SEA fans who grew up catching Cartoon Network on TV after school, these shows are pure nostalgia. Still, nostalgia alone isn’t enough. Some series are tied too strongly to a creator, a voice actor, or a very specific era of humour.
Here are five Cartoon Network-linked classics that look unlikely to get proper reboots — and honestly, maybe that’s for the best.
Dexter’s Laboratory
Dexter’s Laboratory feels like the kind of show every studio would want to bring back: iconic character design, simple premise, endless chaos. But creator Genndy Tartakovsky has already made it clear that a reboot is unlikely.
The biggest reason is the late Christine Cavanaugh, the original voice of Dexter. Tartakovsky has said she was such a core part of the character that replacing her would not feel right. He also noted that the show already had plenty of episodes, so the question becomes: what is actually left to say?
That hits differently for long-time fans. Dexter was not just “small genius boy with lab”. The voice, timing, and weird sibling energy with Dee Dee made the whole thing click.
Ed, Edd n Eddy
If there is one show that screams “don’t modernise me”, it’s Ed, Edd n Eddy. The scams, jawbreakers, gross-out jokes, and backyard chaos were very much their own thing.
Creator Danny Antonucci was apparently approached before about doing a follow-up for Adult Swim, possibly with the trio grown up. He shut it down, arguing that revisiting the idea would just be repeating it, and that it would not be the same.
He’s right lah. A darker or adult version could easily miss the point. The original worked because it felt like sweaty school-holiday nonsense — the kind of cartoon where every kid in the neighbourhood was unhinged.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Space Ghost started as a Hanna-Barbera superhero, but Space Ghost Coast to Coast transformed him into something way stranger: a deadpan late-night talk show host. That version became important to Adult Swim’s identity.
The issue is George Lowe, whose performance defined that specific take on the character. Lowe passed away last year, and while another Space Ghost project could happen someday, recreating the Coast to Coast version without him would be a huge ask.
For SEA viewers who discovered Adult Swim content later through clips, DVDs, or streaming rabbit holes, this is one of those shows where the performance is the format.
Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo is probably the hardest one to bring back in 2026. The character was a massive part of early Cartoon Network, but his whole joke is built around an overconfident dude constantly failing at being smooth.
Creator Van Partible has not been teasing a comeback, and Johnny has also been absent from recent Cartoon Network crossover moments that brought back other older characters.
Could a smart writer update him? Maybe. But the risk is high. Change too much and he stops being Johnny. Keep too much and the humour feels outdated. This one feels locked to its era.
Infinity Train
Infinity Train is the odd one here because fans and creator Owen Dennis actually want more of it. The problem is that a return would likely be a continuation, not a reboot.
The series already has a flexible setup, with each season able to follow different characters inside the same strange train universe. That means there is no real need to wipe the slate clean. If it comes back, it can simply keep building on what already exists.
That matters because Infinity Train still has a strong animation fanbase online, including in SEA circles. It is the kind of show people recommend when they want something emotional, mysterious, and not too childish.
Not Everything Needs a Reset
For Malaysian fans, the big takeaway is simple: not every childhood favourite should be dragged into the reboot machine. Some shows can come back naturally. Others are too tied to their original voices, creators, or cultural moment.
And that’s okay. Sometimes the best way to respect a classic is to leave it as the weird, perfect thing it already was.
Source: ComicBook Anime