The Netflix Original Series "Arrested Development" Press Conference

Actor Jason Bateman attends an "Arrested Development" press conference in 2013. The actor announced via Twitter on May 12, 2017, that he had officially signed on for the show's fifth season.

(Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Netflix)

Michael Bluth is back. (Who?)

Jason Bateman. (Him?)

Yeah. The "Arrested Development" actor on Friday announced that he's officially signed on for the show's fifth season, its second on Netflix after the streaming service revived the series in 2013.

"Look very probable I'm going to put some miles on the Stair Car this summer," Bateman tweeted. "Just officially signed on to more ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT today."

Bateman is the first of the principal cast to make such an announcement. Ever since the show was originally cancelled by Fox in 2003, its inimitable cast has gone on to find success in movies and other television shows.

Jeffrey Tambor, who plays Bluth family patriarch George stars in the critical darling "Transparent" while his on-screen betrothed, played by Jessica Walter, also stars in long-running animated series "Archer."

Tony Hale is also busy with the award-winning "Veep."

When David Cross isn't doing standup tours, he's busy with "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" -- another Netflix property -- or otherwise reviving two of his other cult-favorite series, "Mr. Show" and "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret."

Michael Cera is en route to Broadway while Alia Shawkat is similarly busy filming movies, TV shows and music videos.

And if Netflix announces a new show between now and the end of the year, odds are good Will Arnett will have something to do with it.

Portia de Rossi is the only cast member who may have a bit more time on her hands these days -- her character was recently killed off on "Scandal."

All of this is to say that getting the band back together for the fifth season of Netflix's first series revival may play out much like it did in 2013, with actors filming between other projects. And although that approach more or less worked four years ago, it left something to be desired. The show was often at its best when the whole family was in the same room.

But, hey, at least for now we have a commitment from Bateman.

--Eder Campuzano | 503.221.4344

@edercampuzano

ecampuzano@oregonian.com