'Glee' spin-off is dead, favorite Gleeks returning for Season 4

FOX executive Kevin Reilly announced Sunday that there will be no NYC spin-off of Glee featuring graduated characters.

With the success of the musical show and some key characters getting ready to graduate high school, fans are anxious to know they won't lose their favorite Gleeks.

Reilly spoke with reporters about the future of the show, saying that creator Ryan Murphy has come up with an alternative, Entertainment Weekly reports.

"What’s come out of it is [creator Ryan Murphy] has come up with a really cool idea. There will not be a Glee spinoff. But those characters will graduate and that’s led to a really interesting idea that I think will give us something to dig into next season, and it [starts with] the spring batch of episodes. That’s all I can say about it now."

E! Online says there are a few theories worth considering, including the graduated returning as teachers next season, or Ryan Murphy following Kurt and Rachel to New York if they in fact end up there.

Actress Lea Michelle is confirmed for next season, Reilly said, adding that "Creatively, we'd want everybody back. I've got to look at the contractual situation for all of those."

The fate of stars Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, and Cory Monteith has been up for debate since a 2011 scandal where Colfer heard his character wouldn't be returning for season four on Twitter. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Colfer said he "found out that they made that announcement. I didn’t necessarily know that it was going to be our last season next year, I knew something like that was coming up eventually. I mean, we can’t be there forever."

Though the show has yet to be officially announced for a fourth season, fans can rest easy that Reilly wouldn't talk to reporters if the show was on the chopping block and their favorite stars will be around a little bit longer.