Cruel Intentions TV show to happen for real this time, no seriously

After 20 years of trying to turn Cruel Intentions into a show, Amazon Freevee seems to be pulling it off

By Sam Barsanti  |  April 5, 2023 | 1:02am
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Cruel Intentions TV show to happen for real this time, no seriously
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Cruel Intentions Photo: Hulton Archive

For centuries, mankind has dreamed of one thing and only one thing: Adapting the 1999 movie Cruel Intentions—starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair—into a TV show. Fox tried to make a prequel show in the early 2000s that was converted into the direct-to-video sequel Cruel Intentions 2, and NBC tried to make a two versions of a sequel series (one for the regular network, one sexier version for potential streaming) in 2016 that would’ve featured Gellar reprising her role from the movie (though she later said she knew it was doomed). That one was killed off later that year after NBC decided that a sexy show about cool young people didn’t really fit the NBC vibe.

Then, in 2021, the streaming platform known at the time as IMDb TV (it’s now Amazon Freevee) announced that it was working on a new adaptation of Cruel Intentions. Hey, if NBC and Fox couldn’t do it, why not… Amazon Freevee? But against all odds, that version is moving forward, and it might even move from Freevee to regular Prime Video (though that’s not confirmed).

This surprising news comes from TVLine, which says that Amazon has ordered eight episodes of its Cruel Intentions reboot. Unlike the movie, which took place in New York, this one will be set in Washington, D.C. as “two ruthless step-siblings” do whatever it takes to “stay at the top of the Greek Life hierarchy at their elite college” and to “preserve their power and reputations… including seducing the daughter of the U.S. vice president.” Ooh la la!

But here’s a question that TVLine doesn’t get into: Will Freevee license the song? We really shouldn’t be getting greedy after 20 years of people trying to make a Cruel Intentions show, but come on. You’ve gotta have the song, otherwise this news is just going to be… bittersweet.

The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony

 
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