HBO Max has renewed the comedy series Hacks for a fifth season, announced in May 2025 ahead of Season 4's release. Filming began on September 23, 2025, in New York City, with stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder reprising their roles. While the premiere date remains TBA, questions linger about whether this will be the show's final chapter.
Renewal Announcement
HBO Max ordered Season 5 of Hacks in May 2025, following the strong performance of Season 4, which became the series' best-performing season yet. It ranked as a Top 5 show on the platform in the U.S. and Top 10 globally, with consistent week-over-week growth. Sarah Aubrey, head of Max Original Programming, expressed enthusiasm in a press release: "Yes! More! We congratulate Hacks' singularly talented cast and crew and our great partners at Universal Television." Erin Underhill, president of Universal Television, added, "Like Deborah Vance herself, Hacks only gets bolder, sharper, and more iconic with time. We’re beyond thrilled to keep the laughter rolling."
Showrunners Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs shared their excitement during interviews timed to the announcement. Aniello said, "It’s exciting... It’s also like, ‘Here we go!'" Statsky added, "Back to work," while Downs noted, "We feel so lucky that we get to do a fifth season of comedy... We feel incredibly lucky."
Filming and Location
Production for Season 5 officially started on September 23, 2025, in Manhattan, New York City. Fan videos captured stars like Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder on set, and the show's official HBO Max account confirmed the start with a photo. This marks a shift, as the season teases Deborah Vance's return to Las Vegas after her Season 4 Singapore adventure and a false death announcement, though NYC filming suggests new story elements.
Cast and Crew
Jean Smart returns as comedian Deborah Vance, with Hannah Einbinder as writer Ava Daniels. Series regulars include Paul W. Downs, Megan Stalter, Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Mark Indelicato, and Rose Abdoo. New addition Christopher Briney, known from The Summer I Turned Pretty, joins the ensemble. Potential returning guests from Season 4 include Helen Hunt, Tony Goldwyn, and Kaitlin Olson, though official confirmations are pending.
The series is created by Aniello, Statsky, and Downs, who executive produce alongside Michael Schur, David Miner, Morgan Sackett, and Joe Mande. Universal Television serves as the studio.
Will It Be the Last Season?
Hannah Einbinder told E! News at the 2025 Emmys that Season 5 will be the final one: "We’re going to start [filming] next week, and knowing it’s the last season is really bittersweet... It’s nice to do something as many times as it should be done." However, HBO and HBO Max Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys addressed this during the network's slate presentation, saying, "I leave it to Paul, Lucia, and Jen to decide. I know there has been talk out there, but I don’t have a definitive answer on the final thing." No official confirmation from HBO Max has been made regarding the series' end.
No plot logline or trailer is available yet, and the premiere date is TBA on HBO Max.