Two and a half decades after the original film’s theatrical release, “Cruel Intentions” returns, this time as a streaming series on Prime Video. All eight episodes of the first season drop on Thursday, November 21, 2024. For those who fondly (or not so fondly) remember the late-90s teen melodrama, this new iteration offers a fresh batch of privileged schemers vying for social dominance. Newcomers to this particular brand of soapy maneuvering, well, consider this your introduction to the world of backstabbing, secret pacts, and questionable morals, all set against a backdrop of obscene wealth.
The series picks up 25 years after the events of the film, introducing a new generation of characters ready to manipulate and deceive their way to the top. Among the fresh faces are Beatrice Worth (Brooke Lena Johnson), Blaise Powell (John Harlan Kim), and Caroline Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook), each seemingly poised to inherit the mantle of master manipulator from their predecessors. But the past isn’t entirely absent. Sean Patrick Thomas reprises his role as Hank Chadwick, providing a link to the original film and potentially offering some much-needed moral guidance (or not).
Behind the scenes, original film creators Neal H. Moritz and Roger Kumble return as executive producers, presumably to ensure the series maintains the spirit of the source material. Phoebe Fisher and Sara Goodman serve as co-creators and executive producers, tasked with updating the story for a contemporary audience. Whether they succeed in capturing the blend of dark humor and soapy intrigue that made the film a hit remains to be seen – or, perhaps more accurately, will be judged by the court of public opinion (and streaming metrics). The series is produced by Andrea Iervolino, Bruce Mellon, and Monika Bacardi.
“Cruel Intentions” premieres Thursday November 21 on Prime Video.
