In a new interview with Esquire published March 2, Kevin Williamson shared that late actor James Van Der Beek once hoped to reboot Dawson's Creek.

The beloved star, who died Feb. 11 at age 48 after a three-year battle with colorectal cancer, had even planned to write the follow-up himself.

"James and I talked about rebooting Dawson's Creek several times," Williamson said. "He wanted to do it. And in fact, there was a moment where he was going to write it—and he had a really great idea for it."

According to Williamson, Van Der Beek came up with a fresh concept inspired by This Is Us.

The original series ended in 2003 with a five-year time jump that gave viewers closure.

Still, Van Der Beek believed there was room to explore more of Dawson Leery's life, E! News reported.

"He had a beautiful plan," Williamson explained. "Then I think he got on a show and everybody got busy. It never happened. But there was a lot of talk about it."

Kevin Williamson Says He Was 'Resistant'

According to US Magazine, Williamson admitted he was not eager to revisit the teen drama. "I've always been resistant," he said.

"I always felt like, 'Well, we did that. We finished it.'" He added that the finale already felt like a remake because it showed the characters in the future.

"I feel very OK with that. I don't feel the need to go back to that world, as much as I loved them and would love to."

Still, it was Van Der Beek's passion that made him consider it at all. Williamson made it clear how important the actor was to the show's success. "He was Dawson," he stressed. "He was always questioning every script!"

He even remembered the actor's first audition. At the time, the network had doubts. Williamson recalled thinking, "Are you crazy? What's wrong with you? That's Dawson. Trust me."

The bond between the two lasted long after the cameras stopped rolling. Williamson credited Van Der Beek's wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, for helping them stay connected. "Kimberly was wonderful about that," he shared. "She was very in touch."

Van Der Beek publicly shared his stage 3 diagnosis in November 2024, saying there was "reason for optimism" and that he had "a lot to live for." Even during his illness, he looked ahead.

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Dawson's Creek