Another ’90s classic is getting the reboot treatment. A series version of “Cruel Intentions” has been ordered by Amazon Prime Video.
The eight-episode series comes from Sony Pictures Television and Original Film and is inspired by the Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe movie of the same name rather than a direct revival. The series takes place in an elite Washington, D.C., college and follows two ruthless step-siblings who will do anything to remain on top of the precarious social ladder. After a questionable hazing incident threatens the future of their school’s Panhellenic system, the limits of how far they’re willing to go will be tested as they contemplate seducing the daughter of the vice president of the United States.
The upcoming series stars Sarah Catherine Hook (“First Kill”), Zac Burgess (“Totally Completely Fine”), Savannah Lee Smith (“Gossip Girl”), Sara Silva (“American Horror Stories”), Khobe Clarke (“Firefly Lane,” “Yellowjackets”), John Harlan Kim (“The Last Thing He Told Me,” “9-1-1”), Brooke Lena Johnson (“You”) and Sean Patrick Thomas (“Till”). Additionally, Claire Forlani, Nikki Crawford, Isabella Tagliati, Zeke Goodman and Jon Tenney will star as recurring characters.
“Cruel Intentions” the series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
“From the ‘90s cult-classic film to the 18th-century novel from which it was adapted, ‘Cruel Intentions’ has captivated audiences with a story that transcends time,” Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD originals, unscripted and targeted programming for Amazon MGM Studios, said in a press release. “We are beyond thrilled to share the next chapter of ‘Cruel Intentions’’ intriguing interplay of deception, wit and reckoning with Prime customers and couldn’t be more appreciative of the commitment, dedication and talent from this entire team.”
“We are so excited to get to work together to continue the legacy of ‘Cruel Intentions’, a film that remains beloved by so many — including us!“ executive producers Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher said in a press release. “We promise to make this next iteration as fun, irreverent and boundary-pushing as the original, and are grateful to our partners at Original Film, Sony and Amazon MGM Studios for trusting us to keep it Cruel.”
“’Cruel Intentions’ defined an era and is still a centerpiece in popular culture. We are excited to have Phoebe and Sara bring this new adaptation to life, as this has been a passion project of ours since I got to Sony,” Lauren Stein, head of creative for Sony Pictures Television, added in a press release.
Prior to this project, Goodman is best known for producing “Preacher,” the series adaptation of “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Outsiders” and the original run of “Gossip Girl.” Fisher worked with Goodman on “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and was a producer for “Assassination Nation” and “The Wizard of Lies. Both will executive produce the series alongside Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty and Roger Kumble.
A “Cruel Intentions” TV show has made headlines since 2015 when NBC first picked up a pilot for the project. The network later announced it wasn’t moving forward with the series. Then, in 2021, IMDb TV announced it was developing a reboot. The subset of Amazon was later rebranded as Amazon Freevee in 2022. As for the current “Cruel Intentions” show, that was given a series order in April of this year.
