In the 90s, there was a teen rom/com/drama movement of modern film takes on classics. For example, 10 Things I Hate About You is Shakespeares’ Taming of the Shrew’. She’s the Man is ‘Twelfth Night’. Even Disney’s The Lion King is based on ‘Hamlet’. She’s All That is ‘Pygmalion’, and so on. The iconic film, Cruel Intentions, is another one of those films as a teen adaptation of the novel, ‘Dangerous Liaisons’. 

Cruel Intensions follows the manipulative and deceitful lives of wealthy step-siblings, Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar), as they engage in a dangerous game of seduction and betrayal. The story is set in an elite New York City prep school and revolves around their wager to corrupt an innocent girl named Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon). As the plot unfolds, the characters navigate themes of love, power, and morality, leading to unexpected consequences.

CRUEL INTENTIONS THE SERIES COMING TO PRIME VIDEO

In an exciting announcement, Prime Video is bringing back Cruel Intentions as a series inspired by the film. This time around, the story will take place at an elite Washington, D.C. college. There two cunning step-siblings will stop at nothing to maintain their dominance within a fiercely competitive social hierarchy. 

However, when a harrowing hazing incident jeopardizes the prestigious Panhellenic system at their school, they embark on a relentless mission to safeguard their influence and standing. In a daring move, they set their sights on seducing none other than the daughter of the vice president of the United States. The two will employ any means necessary to achieve their goals.

“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,” added Lauren Stein, head of creative, Sony Pictures Television. “We are grateful for our partners at Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios, and Original Film, who brought the movie to life over 20 years ago.”

MEET THE CAST

Starring in the Cruel Intensions series are 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), and Brooke Lena Johnson (You). Sean Patrick Thomas (Till) is also slated to return to the series. I’m unsure if he’ll be reprising his role of Ronald, but I’d love to see even more original cast members.

Joining the cast as recurring characters are Claire Forlani, Nikki Crawford, Isabella Tagliati, Zeke Goodman, and Jon Tenney.

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,” said Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD originals, unscripted, and targeted programming, Amazon MGM Studios. “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 – our incredible cast, endlessly clever writers, led by Phoebe and Sara, our fantastic partners at Sony and Original Film, and the executives that led the way at Amazon MGM Studios.”

Cruel Intentions will premiere exclusively on Prime Video.