Prime Video is taking us back to the world of deception, seduction, and manipulation with its upcoming Cruel Intentions TV remake, and the first trailer is here. The series brings a fresh take on the classic tale, complete with new faces, but it still has a few nods to the original that fans of the 1999 film will definitely appreciate.
After 25 years, several direct-to-video sequels, and a scrapped TV pilot, Cruel Intentions is making a full-fledged return. Prime Video debuted the trailer for the series on Thursday, with all eight episodes premiering on November 21. This modern adaptation transports us from the Upper East Side to the power-hungry halls of Manchester College, just outside Washington, D.C. And, of course, there are new players in this twisted game.
For longtime Cruel Intentions lovers, the trailer serves up some nostalgic callbacks, including a fresh take on The Verve’s iconic ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony,’ a sleek black convertible, and even that infamous rosary necklace—still hiding its wicked secret.
But this version doesn’t just rely on nostalgia. It introduces us to a new set of manipulative stepsiblings, Caroline Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucien Valmont (Zac Burgess), who reign supreme in their university’s Greek life. True to form, Caroline and Lucien place a risky bet: Caroline needs Lucien to seduce Annie (Savannah Lee Smith), the daughter of the U.S. vice president, to secure her place in their sorority. In exchange, she offers him something he’s always wanted—herself.
Returning to the Cruel Intentions universe is Sean Patrick Thomas, who reprises his role as Ronald from the original film. Joining him in the series are Nikki Crawford, Sara Silva, John Harlan Kim, Khobe Clarke, Brooke Lena Johnson, and more.
Developed by Pheobe Fisher and Sara Goodman, the series is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, and Original Film. Notable producers include Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty, with Roger Kumble, who directed the original movie, also serving as an executive producer.
For those unfamiliar, Cruel Intentions (1999) was itself a modern retelling of the 1782 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. The film starred Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar as step-siblings Sebastian and Kathryn, whose wicked bet to seduce Reese Witherspoon’s Annette left a lasting mark on pop culture.
With the Cruel Intentions series now set to bring its classic blend of scandal and mind games to a new audience, it’ll be interesting to see how this latest retelling stacks up.
Will you be tuning in on November 21 to see how it all unfolds?