You can’t keep mean and horny teenagers down. Variety reports that yet another attempt is underway to adapt the 1999 teensploitation flick Cruel Intentions into a TV series for IMDb TV. The 1999 film was an adaptation of the novel Dangerous Liaisons, and “the new iteration of the series follows two ruthless step-siblings who will do anything to stay on top. In this case, of the Greek life hierarchy at an elite Washington, D.C. college. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system, they’ll do whatever’s necessary to preserve their power and reputations, even seduce the daughter of the Vice President of the United States.” I have to admit that the last part—seducing the daughter of the Vice President of the United States is wonderfully daft. I hope there was a meeting where they suggested having it be the President’s daughter but someone was like, “Slow down. We need to keep this classy.”
This new iteration is the latest attempt to adapt Cruel Intentions. NBC ordered a pilot with original star Sarah Michelle Gellar back in 2016, but it wasn’t picked up to series. Fox also attempted a prequel series, but it was canceled before it was made to air so three episodes of that show were turned into the direct-to-video film Cruel Intentions 2 in 2001, which was followed by another DTV sequel, Cruel Intentions 3, in 2004.
Phoebe Fisher and Sarah Goodman wrote and executive produced the new version. Goodman is also the writer and showrunner on Amazon’s upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer TV series, which premieres on October 15th. Fisher and Goodman are also developing the feature Orange Crush as well.
As for IMDb TV, Cruel Intentions looks to join other adaptations on the streamer including a series version of Lords of Dogtown as well as a Bosch spinoff series.