‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 5 Trailer Reveals ‘Shrinking’ Star Luke Tennie’s New Character (VIDEO)

Meaghan Darwish September 17, 2025, 4:30 pm

Luke Tennie in 'Abbott Elementary' — ABC

Abbott Elementary Season 5 is fast approaching, and in anticipation of the show’s return, ABC has unveiled the first official trailer for the upcoming chapter.

This is just the latest sneak peek at the upcoming episodes, which includes a first look at guest star and Shrinking fan favorite, Luke Tennie’s new character. Additionally, creator and star Quinta Brunson returns alongside the rest of the cast in the exciting preview. From the show’s return date and potential plotlines to returning cast members, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about Abbott Elementary Season 5 so far.

When will Abbott Elementary Season 5 premiere?

A premiere date has finally been set for Abbott Elementary‘s fifth season. ABC revealed that the comedy will return to the TV slate beginning on Wednesday, October 1. The show will fill the 8:30/7:30c timeslot in the slate, sandwiched between Shifting Gears and The Golden Bachelor. In other words, mark your calendars!

We’re picture (and premiere) day ready! 📸

See you back at #AbbottElementary when a new season returns on October 1. pic.twitter.com/QUpP9476Jn

— Abbott Elementary (@AbbottElemABC) September 2, 2025

Who will star in Abbott Elementary Season 5?

We’d expect that the main cast would all be back for when class is in session, including creator Quinta Brunson, Tyler James Williams, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Chris Perfetti, Lisa Ann Walter, Janelle James, and William Stanford Davis. And we hope to see more from fan-favorite guest stars, including Zack Fox, Jerry Minor, and Matthew Law, among others, in Season 5.

Meanwhile, Deadline reported that Shrinking star Luke Tennie will join the mix as a new teacher named Dominic. Tennie’s role is recurring and will kick off in the premiere episode airing October 1.

Does Abbott Elementary Season 5 have a trailer?

Yes, ABC unveiled the official trailer for Abbott Elementary Season 5. See it below:

What can fans expect from Abbott Elementary Season 5?

According to showrunner and star Quinta Brunson, who spoke to fans at SDCC, Abbott Elementary‘s fifth season will film at a live event in Philly. “You can expect us to be filming at a live event,” she teased, according to EW. “You can do with that information what you will because I can’t give you more information.”

While the first thought is an Eagles game or some type of sporting event, Brunson wouldn’t provide specifics, but seemed to confirm the theory as she added, “But I do think that Philly sports fans will be very happy… Sports fans in general.” According to Brunson, “It’s either our third or our fourth, so you’ll see that pretty soon.”

Additionally, Brunson told EW in August 2025 that Season 5 would feature Halloween and Christmas episodes, the latter of which would be “a game changer.” As Brunson stated, “For the Christmas episode, we are celebrating more than one thing on Christmas. Our Christmas episode is going to be a game-changer. A lot’s gonna change after this Christmas episode.” What that means has yet to be determined, but we’re certainly intrigued.

Meanwhile, Brunson also teased that “you’ll see Gregory’s apartment” and that despite Ava’s relationship with O’Shon (Matthew Law), “Ava in love is somehow more chaotic than Ava not in love.” In other words, there’s a lot to look forward to.

'Abbott Elementary' Star Talks Going Toe-to-Toe With Danny DeVito's Frank Reynolds

What happened at the end of Abbott Elementary Season 4?

In usual Abbott Elementary fashion, the series bid viewers adieu for the season with a field trip, in this case to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia. There were no real cliffhangers, leaving the faculty of the titular school intact and on track to return for an all-new school year in Season 5.

Who makes Abbott Elementary?

Abbott Elementary was created for television by Brunson, who executive produces the series alongside Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, Randall Einhorn, and Brian Rubenstein. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television and 20th Television, which is a part of Disney Television Studios.

Keep an eye out for any announcements or news about Season 5’s progress as we update this article. And let us know what you hope to see in the comments section below.

Abbott Elementary, Season 5 Premiere, Wednesday, October 1, 8:30/7:30c, ABC