‘Cruel Intentions’ TV series in the works

“Cruel Intentions” is officially happening. NBC has picked up a pilot for the sequel of the 1999 teen film drama of the same name, which starred Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Roger Kumble, who wrote the screenplay of the film, will helm the pilot and serve as executive producer along with Lindsey Rosin and Jordan Ross, Variety reports. Ross co-wrote the script for the series.

Like us on Facebook

The series will pick up 15 years after the film left off and will follow Kathryn Merteuil as she fight for the control of Valmont International and Bash Casey, the teenage son of her late stepbrother Sebastian Valmont and Annette Hargrove. Bash, meanwhile, is introduced to the corrupted world of sex, money and power after discovering Sebastian’s journal.

It can be recalled in the film that Sebastian (Phillippe) died at the end, but not before giving Annette (Witherspoon) his journal, which revealed Kathryn’s (Gellar) drug habit and effectively ruined her reputation. With the premise of the pilot centring on Bash, it would mean Annette was already pregnant with him by that time she was seen driving away in Sebastian’s vintage Jaguar at the ending of the film.

It is unknown if Gellar and Witherspoon will reprise their roles, or if Phillippe will at least make a cameo for perhaps a flashback scene. The date of production and airing are also unknown.

The film, which grossed almost US$76 million (AU$108 million) in the box office worldwide, was nominated and had won several awards, including Best Female Performance at the MTV Movie Awards for Gellar, and Best Film Drama at the Teen Choice Awards in 2000. It also spawned two direct-to-video prequel and sequel. Both films did not include any of the original cast.

Selma Blair, Sean Patrick Thomas, Tara Reid and Joshua Jackson also starred in the 1999 film.