Curb Your Enthusiasm is officially returning for season 12, HBO has confirmed. The news comes eight months after the season 11 premiere. The comedy series was created by and stars Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld, as a fictionalized version of himself. Curb Your Enthusiasm premiered in 2000 and took a hiatus in 2011 following its eight season, returning in 2017. Since its inception, the series has received 51 Emmy Award nominations, winning two. The eleventh season earned four Emmy nominations, including one for best comedy series.
In an official statement, David joked:
“Playing the role of Larry David has been the greatest honor of my life. In researching this multi-faceted, multi-talented man, I discovered that there’s more to him than I ever could have imagined: He speaks six languages, brines his own pickles, and spearheads a national movement to install a bidet in every home. I’ve also been told from numerous sources that he is the most generous of lovers. I am so excited to once again transform into this force of nature. I only pray that I can do him justice.”
David executive produces the series alongside showrunner Jeff Schaffer and Jeff Garlin (who also stars in the series). Laura Streicher and Jennifer Corey serve as co-executive producers. The show's cast also includes Susie Essman, J.B. Smoove, Cheryl Hines, Richard Lewis, Vince Vaughn, and Ted Danson.
Curb Your Enthusiasm's Staying Power
Curb Your Enthusiasm is HBO's longest running "scripted" series. However, the series does not rely on scripts, but provides the cast with scene outlines that they must improvise.
In an August interview with Variety, Schaffer discussed the series' staying power, crediting David and a great cast for amazing comedic performances. The showrunner also said:
“People aren’t great. People are walking double standards. And so when the audience sees Larry do something selfish, they know in their hearts, they would do that, too. And when they see him like rail against a tiny injustice, they think, ‘Oh, I always wanted to tell someone off like that too.’ The show is wish fulfillment for people.”
Season 11 of the series featured multiple guest star appearances including Woody Harrelson, Tracey Ullman, Kaley Cuoco, Patton Oswalt, and Bill Hader. Hader's performance earned him an Emmy nomination for best guest actor in a comedy series. During his interview with Variety, Schaffer disclosed that Hader almost didn't appear on the show's 11th season due to the pandemic.
David recently shared that a death scene involving his online persona had been filmed as he thought season 11 may have been the show's conclusion. To the relief of Curb Your Enthusiasm fans, the scene was discarded and David's character will live to see another season.
It is unknown when production for the upcoming season will begin.