‘Desperate Housewives’ Cast Shocked By Reboot Snub, Moving Ahead With Younger Stars

While the former stars of Desperate Housewives have longed for an encore of the hit soapy nighttime TV series, which ran from 2004 to 2012, they were shocked to learn there will indeed be a reboot — and they’re not in it.

Former Scandal star Kerry Washington, 48, recently announced that her Simpson Street production company is launching a new series called Wisteria Lane, named after the street the original Housewives lived on — but a source says the show will move on with a new generation of stars harboring their own dark secrets.

“The gals feel like they got the rug pulled out from under them,” says a source.

Sources say it comes as sad and unexpected news for original stars Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross and Teri Hatcher.

Eva Longoria, who was made aware of the reboot, had been the most vocal about returning to her character Gabrielle Solis, saying, “I’d do it tomorrow — I think people miss her,” but a proposed reboot on Hulu fizzled.

And now, the show is Washington’s baby — and she’s expected to install herself as the star.

“It’s a whole new production company that is cashing in on the Desperate Housewives success, but Eva, Marcia, Felicity and Teri feel like they’re the ones that made the show a hit in the first place, and now they’re shut out,” says an insider. “There could be cameo roles offered, but that wasn’t the sort of acting gig or payday they had in mind.”

But a source says that Washington “wants to move the story ahead with a younger cast rather than live in the past.”