Netflix Orders Additional Episodes of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

The Bluths are back, and their episode order is set to be bigger than originally expected.

Deadline has confirmed that Netflix has officially ordered additional episodes of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, bringing up the original count from 10, to somewhere around 15. 

"We are thrilled with the direction of the show, with the footage we have seen and with the relationship between Mitch, Imagine, 20th and Netflix," a spokesperson from Netflix said. "At this time, we are not confirming or announcing the final episode count but we are sure fans will be thrilled when we do."

Production on the fourth season was slated to wrap for good around Thanksgiving, but Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of the cult comedy, pitched a few more episodes to Netflix execs, who were reportedly impressed. As of now, production on the next batch of episodes is scheduled to begin in early January.

Netflix commissioned a fourth season of Hurwitz's ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT earlier this year, securing original cast members and an all-star lineup of guest stars including Conan O'Brien and Liza Minnelli. The company is gearing up to release the upcoming season all at once during Spring 2013.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT centers around Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) and his eccentric family comprised of his son George Michael (Michael Cera), his father George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor), his mother Lucille (Jessica Walter), his brothers George Oscar Bluth II (Will Arnett), Buster Bluth (Tony Hale) and sister Lindsay Funke (PORTIA DE ROSSI), and Lindsay's husband Tobias (David Cross) and their daughter Maeby (Alia Shawkat).

Mitch Hurwitz, TRoy Miller, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo are executive producers on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, and it is produced by Imagine TV and 20th Century Fox Television for Netflix.