Did this mysterious website tease the return of a cult-classic cartoon?

Gravity Falls is basically a perfect show. Running over just two seasons and 40 episodes, from 2012 to 2016, it was well-crafted, purposeful, funny, heartwarming, strange, and adventurous. Oh, and it’s heavily inspired by Twin Peaks.

There was a period of my life where I got a ton of people into Gravity Falls, who then in turn got all of their friends into Gravity Falls. It was that kind of show. It’s probably the best thing Disney has done in the last decade-plus, except maybe Frozen 2. (Yes, specifically Frozen 2.)

As you can probably tell from how I talk about it, Gravity Falls has an incredibly loving, devoted fan base, even eight years after its finale (oof). While the show is now called a “cult classic,” Disney didn’t boot it off the air. Creator Alex Hirsch created the show with a two-season arc in mind and stuck to his guns, despite heavy pressure to keep it going—another reason Gravity Falls is phenomenal.

But some recent developments have made fans wonder whether more Gravity Falls might be on the horizon.

Stranger things have happened …

Creator Alex Hirsch went out of his way to say at the time of the finale that Gravity Falls “isn’t being canceled – it’s being finished.” But since then, on multiple occasions, he’s expressed interest in finding a new way to continue Dipper and Mabel’s story. While talks over video games or feature-length films seemed to have gone sideways, there have been graphic novels and books, including this year’s The Book of Bill.

However, there have been two developments this summer which feel unique. One is the mysterious appearance of a website fantastically called thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com. Despite its sneaky name, it’s definitely a Gravity Falls website, featuring a letter from Ford to Dipper. You can also type phrases into the computer to see how it reacts. I recommend “love,” “Disney,” and any curse word.

The intent of the website isn’t clear, so a lot of fans are assuming it’s a teaser for a potential season three announcement. But a lot of the findable content on the website references The Book of Bill, which makes me think it’s at least in part a promotional tool for the new book, which only came out in July. Also, there are some pretty direct disses aimed at Disney. (The show was famous for its many fights with Disney TV’s Standards and Practices department.)

So I’d write it off as a book promotion … except that a top Disney executive told The Direct in June that they’re “we’re in conversations with Alex” and to “never say never.”

It’s still probably an incredibly clever and fun book promotion. But what if … ?