Casting Saved By The Bell If It Was Made In 2026: All 7 Main Roles

Published Sep 5, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT Shealyn Scott is a Senior Writer at Screen Rant. She has been writing for the site since 2024, focused on network, reality, streaming, and classic television. A creative writer, journalist, and lover of the written word in all its forms, Shealyn enjoys deconstructing scenes from her favorite shows, using context clues and historical precedent to predict major plot points (which, due to her successful track record, has sparked rumors of clairvoyance). As an award-winning student journalist, Shealyn spent her college years advocating for the humanities while studying English Literature. Her love of storytelling propelled her to expand her degree with minors in Writing and History, believing life to be a mere collection of stories that can be framed in as many ways as a movie scene. As a Senior member of the TV Team, Shealyn treats the series she covers like books, analyzing every line, camera angle, and lighting choice. Thankfully, her personal mission statement lines up perfectly with Screen Rant: every creative work deserves just as much thought from the viewer as it received from its creator. Saved by the Bell was a formative sitcom for both the genre and an entire generation of viewers— but, with the right cast, lightning may strike twice. Without question, Saved by the Bell is one of the most renowned teen dramas of all time, following a ragtag group of friends at Bayside High School. Although the story never seemed to truly end, expanding with later iterations like The College Years, The New Class, and Hawaiian Style, the original Saved by the Bell is by far the most acclaimed, with it being universally recognized as a defining sitcom of the 1990s. The flagship series was so iconic, modern television has already tried its hand at a Saved by the Bell reboot. A straight-to-streaming revival following the main cast in adulthood briefly aired on Peacock, but attempting to emulate the original while introducing a new generation of Bayside High students proved to be an impossible task. Despite the show's cancellation, however, there remains a market for an upbeat teen sitcom helmed by up-and-coming stars. Whether it adhered to a classic 90s aesthetic, an early 2000s spin, or a contemporary 2020s flair, Saved by the Bell (2026) would surely have an indomitable cast. Joseph Zada as Zack Morris Originally Played By: Mark-Paul Gosselaar While Saved by the Bell has arguably the most iconic ensemble cast of any teen drama, Zack Morris is the uncontested main character of the original series. The resident troublemaker of Bayside High, Zack led the group on countless schemes in the pursuit of pure chaos. Though he reveled in being able to undermine every authority figure in his life, Zack also possessed an uncanny ability to excel in practically all areas, succeeding as an athlete, musician, politician, and even scoring high enough on the SAT to earn admission to an Ivy League university. Given his self-centered behavior and sporadic lack of empathy, Zack Morris has become one of the most divisive sitcom characters in history, but a modern retelling would likely remedy his biggest flaws. Someone like Joseph Zada would also help Zack's cause immensely, as the rising star has an endearing energy that makes it easy to root for whatever character he portrays, be it Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping or a brand-new take on a classic 90s sitcom. With Zada at the forefront, Zack would undoubtedly feel more charming than sociopathic. Xochitl Gomez as Kelly Kapowski Originally Played By: Tiffani-Amber Thiessen At first glance, Kelly Kapowski may seem like a textbook Mary Sue: she is the head cheerleader of Bayside High, she is adored by her classmates, and she is the object of almost every boy's affection. Yet, there are nuances to Kelly that ground her character, like her working-class upbringing and complicated relationships with her six siblings. As a result, Kelly is the most popular girl in school, but the viewer never feels compelled to hold it against her. Rather, her "It Girl" status is irrefutably deserved, cementing her as a legendary sitcom character. To add even more depth to Kelly Kapowski, Xochitl Gomez is the obvious choice for the leading lady. Best known as America Chavez in the Marvel Cinematic Universe— or, more recently, as the winner of Dancing with the Stars season 32— the young star captivates audiences worldwide with an instantly authentic presence, bringing a down-to-earth vibe to every role she plays. Furthermore, Gomez knows how to emote without ever feeling like a caricature, which is the exact brand of acting necessary for Saved by the Bell to work in the modern TV landscape. Gaten Matarazzo as Samuel "Screech" Powers Originally Played By: Dustin Diamond Unlike the rest of the archetypes in his cohort, Samuel "Screech" Powers lacks the popularity, charisma, and natural social skills displayed by his best friends. Instead, Screech is the token nerd of the group, exaggerated to the point that he builds an unsettlingly intelligent robot companion as a mere teenager. Despite his genius, Screech is often the punchline of Saved by the Bell's running gags, ranging from inadvertently ruining Zack's hijinks to constantly pursuing unrequited crushes. In a 2026 version, however, the geeky sidekick would get a major upgrade. Beyond starring in one of the most popular Netflix shows of all time, Gaten Matarazzo has proven time and time again that he has the capacity for roles that are more challenging than what he is typically cast as. Similar to Dustin's trajectory in Stranger Things, Matarazzo could bring a real sense of humanity to Screech without sacrificing his quirks and comedic timing. After all, sitcoms don't need their characters to be punching bags to make the audience laugh. Jalen Thomas Brooks as A.C. Slater Originally Played By: Mario Lopez Unsurprisingly, A.C. Slater was a fan-favorite character from the original series' first episode onwards. Between being the school's star quarterback, a slightly broody military brat, and a romantic rival to Zack, Slater was one of the most beloved heartthrobs of the 90s. As Saved by the Bell progressed, however, his character gradually grew beyond the stereotypes that initially defined him. Whoever would be brave enough to take up the mantle as the "new" Slater would have generational shoes to fill, but Jalen Thomas Brooks absolutely has it in him. Whether you first met the young actor as a dashing nurse in The Pitt or a side character in one of the biggest romance shows of the decade, it's clear Jalen Thomas Brooks' career is only beginning. He would easily preserve the swoonworthy gravitas of A.C. Slater, but he would also be able to handle more serious storylines with tact, consequently rounding out the character with some much-needed range. Alexa Barajas as Jessie Spano Originally Played By: Elizabeth Berkley Ironically, Jessie Spano may be the most accessible character for a Gen Z and younger demographic, but that makes her shockingly difficult to cast. In Saved by the Bell, she's a high-strung and wildly passionate activist with a strong moral compass. Though she is a staunch feminist and ambitious student, Jessie faces her fair share of adversity, most memorably due to her height. Likewise, she carried the brunt of Saved by the Bell's most dramatic subplots, like the obvious anti-drug allegory in the episode "Jessie's Song" (Season 2, Episode 9). Though we sadly seem to be in a worldwide tall actress shortage, Alexa Barajas could carry the torch as a 5'7" scene-stealer. As Mari Ibarra in Yellowjackets, Barajas demonstrated her ability to move seamlessly between humor, drama, and utterly unhinged pandemonium without breaking a sweat. As such, she would flawlessly navigate the ups and downs of Jessie's character, including her on-again/off-again romance with A.C. Slater. Plus, since her character will likely be absent in Yellowjackets season 4, it would just be nice to see Barajas in another starring role. Chandler Kinney as Lisa Turtle Originally Played By: Lark Voorhies Aside from being a bona fide fashion icon, Lisa Turtle is one of the most celebrated characters in the entire Saved by the Bell franchise. To this day, hordes of fans make edits, think pieces, and appreciation posts to commemorate the underrated "real" star of the show. Thankfully, while Lisa's obsession with fashion, wealthy upbringing, and position on the cheerleading squad could have made her vapid, the best-dressed character truly cherished her friends. In a 2026 remake, Chandler Kinney would surely be able to walk the thin line between Lisa Turtle's materialism and her heart of gold. Kinney has been a prominent star in teen television and film over the past six years, joining Disney's Zombies franchise in 2020, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin in 2022, and Prime Video's Legally Blonde prequel Elle in 2026. Considering Kinney's major roles all differ greatly from one another, it stands to reason she could effortlessly embody Lisa Turtle without resorting to imitation or surface-level characterization. Will Arnett as Mr. Belding Originally Played By: Dennis Haskins Darren Michaels/Netflix Mr. Belding is the only quintessential Saved by the Bell character who isn't a student, but he's often the sitcom's greatest source of humor. As a principal, he can seem somewhat hapless, frequently falling victim to Zack's scams. Nevertheless, he has a sneakily clever side to him that emerges from time to time, wherein he outsmarts the rebellious main character before reverting to his stringent persona. As the series later reveals, Mr. Belding even has a rebellious past that makes him and Zack feel more like kindred spirits than friendly nemeses. Perhaps the most interesting option would be to have Mark-Paul Gosselaar return, thus completing the full-circle storyline and hammering home the cyclical relationship between the Zack Morrises and the Mr. Beldings of the world. Conversely, Will Arnett would be hysterical as the playfully strict principal. From voicing the titular character of Netflix's BoJack Horseman to leading improv-based murder mystery series Murderville, it's clear Arnett can handle anything the entertainment industry throws at him, including one of the most iconic characters in sitcom history. Of course, the original Saved by the Bell would always exist in a league of its own, but the younger generation deserves a comedic, slightly silly teen sitcom all about the everyday crises they genuinely face. There doesn't always need to be a supernatural twist or a world-ending threat for the main cast to face; as Saved by the Bell proved, high school is enough of a challenge to keep viewers enthralled. Release Date 1989 - 1992-00-00 Network NBC Directors Don Barnhart