Gravity Falls might not have any new animated plans for the future, but this isn’t stopping the creator of the Mystery Shack from finding new, hilarious ways to make headlines. Alex Hirsch might have brought Grunkle Stan, Mabel, and Dipper’s supernatural story to an end in 2016, but the fan base refuses to let the series die. Hilariously, Hirsch has continued reaping the benefits despite it being years since a new episode was released on the Disney Channel, with a new art book set to arrive this fall. To help celebrate a new social media milestone, Alex himself has a request for fans.
On Alex Hirsch’s official Instagram account, the animator has reached 666,000 followers, asking fans, “Nobody else follow me! This is perfect!” As most readers know, “666” is the “mark of the beast” and will routinely find its way into numerous pieces of fiction, references to the devil, and everything in between. Considering Bill Cipher as a villain certainly had more than a few similarities with the Lord of Darkness, it would make sense that Hirsch would be excited to hit this milestone. Gravity Falls never had an appearance from the “devil” during its two-season run, but this didn’t stop the Disney animated series from bringing major demons to the screen. You can check out Hirsch’s hilarious “Instagram story” below.
While a third season and/or reboot of Gravity Falls is far from confirmed, this doesn’t mean that there haven’t been discussions to potentially re-open the Mystery Shack. In 2024, the Executive Vice President of Television Animation and Disney Branded Television, Meredith Roberts, candidly stated that the company was in conversations with Alex regarding a potential revival. While the ultimate message from the VP was “never say never,” the upcoming art book arriving this fall proves that Disney still recognizes the popularity of the animated original. Grunkle Stan and the other characters have also continuously appeared in other Disney properties, such as Chibiverse, where Hirsch has been more than happy to return to the roles he voiced.
Outside of the main continuity, fans have been working to create new Gravity Falls stories of their own. Earlier this year, the first trailer for Gravity Falls: Alternate Universe landed on YouTube, showing off a fan-made series that reimagines the relationship between Stan’s brother Ford and the nefarious Bill Cipher. While not an official Disney creation, this fan-made animated project goes to show how beloved the series has become since its debut. Whether Gravity Falls ever returns with an official sequel, the impact that the Mystery Shack has had on the entertainment world won’t soon be forgotten.
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