For all the trivia lovers, grab your popcorn, random sheet of facts, thinking caps, and all else, because this Wednesday, July 23, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is making an exciting return to ABC.
That’s right, you heard correctly! The moment when you can lock in and passionately yell “final answer” at your TV is back. That sounds like some nostalgic, great vibes if you ask me.
Although this new reboot may not be a replica of the original Who Wants To Be A Millionaire series, which first aired in 1998, the 2025 revival is bringing new additions, familiar faces, and exceptional energy. This game show's evolution went from, How much better can it get? To, Wow, they’ve raised the bar even higher.
Season 4 of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire reboot is hosted by ABC’s own Jimmy Kimmel, bringing jokes, humor, and a playful style. His late-night comedy show is proof.
Kimmel’s good-humored and witty energy takes a bit of a different direction in comparison to previous hosts the show has had. When it originally aired in the United States, the show was hosted by Regis Philbin, who held a traditional, classic, and suspenseful tone with his hosting.
After Philbin hosted three seasons from 1999 to 2002, Meredith Vieira became the host from 2002 to 2013. Vieira’s hosting style was conversational, personable, and calm. After Vieira, a variety of entertainers hosted the game show, including Cedric the Entertainer, Terry Crews, Chris Harrison, and now Kimmel.
What’s a show without production? Complete chaos. Good thing Who Wants To Be A Millionaire has a great production team that has continued the show's iconic setup and even made excellent improvements.
If you’re like me, the suspenseful music and stage lighting were the highlight of watching the show. It added a thrilling and adrenaline rush factor for me. Immediately upon watching the newer seasons, you will notice the lights. Bright shades of white and blue, similar to the original series. However, the reboot features LED light additions to the stage floor. Technology on the show has also evolved. The screens that sit directly in front of contestants now are a huge change compared to handheld buttons and paper and pen techniques that many game shows have used in the past. One thing that the original 1999 U.S. version has in common with the 2025 U.S. version is the intro music. The intro music remains a staple for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire; it's only right that this tradition remains.
The biggest stars of the show are the contestants, and even the players have evolved. This new reboot is celebrity-based, and the celebrities are playing for charities. Familiar faces are more common on game shows now than ever. While many can agree that seeing celebrities face off is way more entertaining for broadcast television, others can agree that seeing an average person competing on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire was more relatable.
The contestant lineup is now filled with stars who are making game show nights feel like a reunion with friends. Laughs, viral moments, lighthearted energy, and fun would be a few words to describe the new energy that celebrity contestants are bringing. Not quite the same as the original, yet still a nostalgic game show feeling.
Celebrities that are set to make an appearance this season include:
- Ken Jennings
- Matt Damon
- Drew Carey
- Aisha Tyler
- Jake Tapper
- Kaitlan Collins
- And many more!
Make sure to tune into Who Wants To Be A Millionaire to get a look at the game show goodness. Whether you are watching to feel that 2000s nostalgia, or if you’re watching to see which celebrities can climb to the top of the leaderboard, the new season airs Wednesday, July 23, at 8/7c, and the great thing is, if you’re not available, you can also catch it on Hulu the next day.