It's actually happening! On the heels of the first images from the upcoming series, here's the Gilmore Girls news many fans have been waiting for (including this one) has arrived. Melissa McCarthy is returning for Netflix's hugely-anticipated revival series. With McCarthy on board, that makes pretty close to a full set (RIP Edward Herrmann) for the original cast. Naturally, the Gilmore Girls themselves, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel are returning, along with David Sutcliffe as Rory’s father, Chris, Liza Weil as Paris, Kelly Bishop as the Gilmore matriarch, Sean Gunn as Kirk, Keiko Agena as Lane,Yanic Truesdale as Michel, and Scott Patterson  as Lorelei's OPT Luke, while Bunheads' Sutton Foster will take on a new role. And let's not forget that all of Rory's big loves are on board: Jared Padalecki will return as Dean, Milo Ventimiglia as Jess, and Matt Czuchry as Logan.

Series creator and Executive Producer Amy Sherman-Palladino will write and direct the revival series with her husband Daniel Palladino, who is also an EP. While the rest of the original cast was quick to come together, McCarthy's return as Lorelei's faithful friend Sookie St. James has long been up for debate thanks to her busy schedule. But in an interview with Ellen, McCarthy confirmed that they finally found a way to make her appearance work.

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Image via The CW

Here's what she said.

“There has been something that I have been asked about so, so many times and it hasn’t worked out and there is… they’re making four new movies of the ‘Gilmore Girls’ which is a show which was near and dear to my heart for four years and we could not get those schedules to work,” she said. “And there was a whole thing. And then I was gonna be out of the country and blah, blah, blah. And literally about an hour and half ago we figured out that I’m gonna go back and do it and I am so excited. And they are gonna be amazing.”

If you're wondering what McCarthy's return might look like, expect it to be fairly brief. In a story we ran earlier today, ASP told EW that she knew exactly what the "scene" for Sookie's return would look like.

“We’ve just put it out into the universe; we’re here until May 10. I know what the scene is. I’ll pre-light it for her. She can drive up, run in, shoot it, and run out. I can get her in and out in two hours.”

While it might be a brief reunion with Sookie St. James, I'm just so glad she'll be making an appearance. It's ain't Stars Hollow without her. The new Gilmore Girls will feature four 90-minute episodes, each taking place over the course of a season beginning with winter. No release date has been announced yet.

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Image via The CW
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Image via The CW