The Righteous Gemstones creator Danny McBride reveals the potential for a Season 5 of the acclaimed series

HBO's The Righteous Gemstones has officially made it to its fourth and final season, but the question remains: could there still be a Season 5? Series creator Danny McBride states in a recent interview with Collider that although he didn't start out with a definitive endpoint in mind, the natural progression of the story ultimately led him to bring the series to a close.

McBride didn't entirely shut the door on continuing the show, though. He kept an open mind during filming, in case new ideas emerged.

"I was keeping myself open to the idea that, if it felt like there was more to do, I wouldn't be strict about finishing it," he said during an interview with Collider.

But ultimately, the storylines indicated closure.

"As the story percolated and came to be and we shot it, it just felt like it was the time. It felt like it was saying what it needed to say"

With its blend of zany humor and solid family focus, The Righteous Gemstones has garnered a loyal fan base. Even as the series ends, there is still ongoing chatter about possible spin-offs or crossovers, given McBride's history of interconnected HBO projects. Although The Righteous Gemstones Season 5 is not currently in development, McBride's statement indicates that it's not entirely off the table.

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Why The Righteous Gemstones Season 4 was the right time to end the series

In a recent interview with Collider, Danny McBride indicated that the decision to conclude The Righteous Gemstones with Season 4 was not a simple one. According to him,

"It was very, very difficult to arrive at that conclusion."

In the same interview, McBride also stated that while he had enjoyed working with the cast and making the show, every story he was writing seemed to feel like it was headed towards an ending.

"All the story ideas that I was having were aiming towards conclusion and aiming towards wrap-up and growth and moving forward, so I just followed that," he explained.

Even while filming, McBride remained open to continuing. But as the shooting progressed, the narrative seemed to come to a natural end:

"It just felt like it was the time. It felt like it was saying what it needed to say."

McBride has a track record of ending his shows with intention, having previously wrapped both Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals. With Gemstones, he desired the same: an unmistakable, meaningful conclusion.

"With television, it’s so hard to keep your eye on the ball when the goal is just to come back season after season after season," he mentioned. "Sometimes you can neglect the story, just to keep going, and I didn’t want that to happen with Gemstones."

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Saying goodbye to the characters

Danny McBride and co-star Cassidy Freeman both confessed that it was difficult to say goodbye to the characters and their universe. Freeman, who plays Amber Gemstone, acknowledged:

"It was really hard to say goodbye. As I’m reflecting, there was never a moment that I didn’t give it all to Amber and Amber didn’t give it all to the story."

McBride also expressed a strong affinity for the cast and the characters that they played. Naturally, the final day of filming had been particularly moving. McBride stated:

"The moment we wrapped was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment where you’re looking around at all these people that you’ve become great friends with, and you just feel like you accomplished something together," he said.

The final scene shot was the one featuring a monkey attending a church lunch in episode eight. McBride explained how, in that scene, individuals started thanking them, and emotions began rising.

Co-star Greg Alan Williams told McBride:

"I just want to say how much this has meant to me"

This prompted an emotional response in Mcbride:

"Immediately, I was like, 'Oh, shit, I’m going to start crying.'"

Freeman also echoed the sentiment, recalling how hard it was to hold her emotions back. She stated:

"Danny actually said, 'I’m not going to look at anyone because I don’t want to cry.” And then, of course, he looked at me, and I was just a mess," she said.

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Could there be a spin-off or a McBride multiverse crossover?

While The Righteous Gemstones may be ending, there has been speculation about whether McBride could resurrect some of his HBO casts in upcoming projects. He was asked about a potential "Avengers-style" crossover show bringing together the casts of Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, and The Righteous Gemstones.

McBride entertained the idea with humor:

"The Avengers version."

Cassidy Freeman answered:

"All on the screen at the same time. That’s so good."

To this, McBride responded:

"They would kill each other."

Though this possibility was brought up in jest, the exchange shows how much the audience loves McBride's characters. Although no spin-off or crossover plans have officially been announced yet, there is always potential, especially if there is heavy viewer interest.

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The Righteous Gemstones is now streaming on Max.