I Wasn't So Sure About Seth MacFarlane's The 'Burbs Remake With Keke Palmer, But The Fun First-Look Video Won Me Over

Keke Palmer looking through window and curtains in Peacock's The Burbs series
(Image credit: Peacock)

The majority of the movies that Tom Hanks has filled his career with, from the instantly recognizable blockbusters to the lesser-seen cult classics, are iconic enough that Hollywood has largely resisted the urge to remake all of them. But mega-producers Seth MacFarlane and Brian Grazer have teamed up with Peacock for an episodic reimagining of The 'Burbs that has multi-hyphenate superstar Keke Palmer as the suspicion-harboring lead. I was admittedly wary when the project was first announced, but the first-look teaser below stoked my interest.

The streaming service not only dropped the first preview footage for The 'Burbs, but also revealed when the mystery-comedy will hit the 2026 TV schedule. Now we know it'll be available to watch (via Peacock subscription) starting on Sunday, February 8, with the entire eight-episode season going live at once. So at least viewers who need to solve the mystery won’t need to wait two months to wrap the story. Now without further ado, check out the new teaser!

Not a whole lot to glean there as far as specifics go, but anyone who's familiar with the original 1984 film will know what the deal is. Either way, let's break down the cast and plot synopsis so that we're all on the same page.

Keke Palmer, Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, Mark Proksch, and Kapil Talwalkarin in Peacock's The Burbs series

(Image credit: Peacock)

What The 'Burbs' Remake Is About

Similar to the original film vying for a "present day" setting, Peacock's The 'Burbs takes place in the here and now, as opposed to a throwback era. A young couple, portrayed by Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), have recently changed locations to settle into the latter's former childhood home, much to her disgust.

Things get even less ideal when a new neighbor takes up residence across the street, which inevitably starts to unearth some of the dark and hidden-away secrets kept by the cul-de-sac's homeowners, with potentially fatal threats rising up and bringing chaos to what previously seemed like a quiet and welcoming neighborhood. Trust no one!

I can only assume that this new series will bring spins and twists to everything that played out in Joe Dante's film, but I still don't want to dig into those plot points too much just in case it is a fully faithful remake.

The 'Burbs Has A Stacked Cast And Creative Team

Beyond the Nope and Clifford the Big Red Dog stars at the center of the project, The 'Burbs also boasts some stellar comedic talent. The neighborhood will be filled out with characters played by SNL and Bridesmaids great Paula Pell, Newhart and Designing Women fave Julia Duffy, What We Do in the Shadows’ Mark Proksch, and Night Court’s Kapil Talwalkar. As far as I can tell, Weeds and Succession vet Justin Kirk will be portraying the suspicion-sparking new neighbor.

Justin Kirk holding bat in Peacock's The Burbs series

(Image credit: Peacock)

Behind the scenes, The 'Burbs boasts the pair of aforementioned top-tier producers in Seth MacFarlane (for Fuzzy Door) and Brian Grazer (for Imagine Entertainment), as well as Henry Danger creator Dana Olsen, who was the writer and producer of the original film. The new take was developed by Celeste Hughey, a writer and producer for Netflix's Dead to Me and Apple TV's Palm Royale, who served as showrunner for the first season. Also on the writing staff is Rachel Shukert, who previously wrote and produced for shows such as Supergirl, The Handmaid's Tale and Nine Perfect Strangers.

Given how far back Brian Grazer's career partnership with Hanks goes - they first worked together on 1984's Splash before Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, and its two Robert Langdon follow-ups. Grazer had nothing to do with the original Burbs, but I do wonder if his involvement here means we can expect a certain Oscar winner’s cameo at some point. The 'Burbs features one of Tom Hanks’ all-time great freakouts, so one can hope for a reprisal of some kind.

With of without Hanks’ involvement, The 'Burbs is set to hit streaming on Sunday, February 8, 2026. And Keke Palmer’s fans can also look forward to seeing her in another ‘80s-related project, the upcoming spoof sequel Spaceballs 2, which just wrapped filming this week.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.



You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.