Moviefone Editorial

Tag: cruel intentions

  • ‘Cruel Intentions’ TV Series in the Works

    Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999's 'Cruel Intentions.'
    (L to R) Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999’s ‘Cruel Intentions.’

    Like a slow-boiled revenge plot finally coming to fruition, it looks like Amazon may finally have cracked a small-screen version of 1999 teen seduction thriller ‘Cruel Intentions’, which starred some of Hollywood’s biggest young stars of the time.

    According to TV Line, the company is targeting the new show for either its free-with-commercials Freevee service or the main Prime Video subscription streamer.

    More than one failed attempt litters the TV development ground, including a Fox-based prequel series called ‘Manchester Prep’ that never made it to air but was repurposed as a direct-to-video film called ‘Cruel Intentions 2’ in 2000. And 2004 saw another video release, ‘Cruel Intentions 3’.

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    What happened in the 1999 movie?

    As directed by Roger Kumble, ‘Cruel Intentions’ — itself based on the 18th-century novel Dangerous Liaisons — starred Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe as step-siblings Kathryn Merteuil and Sebastian Valmont, who wagered on Sebastian’s ability to seduce Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), the daughter of the headmaster at their elite New York City prep school.

    There were scandals and double-crosses, plots and moral lessons.

    Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe in 1999's 'Cruel Intentions.'
    (L to R) Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe in 1999’s ‘Cruel Intentions.’

    Related Article: Reese Witherspoon Back for ‘Election’ Sequel

    What’s the plot of the new show?

    The new ‘Cruel Intentions’ plans to shift the action somewhat, which should allow for a fresh take, albeit with recognizable elements from the original book and movie.

    Set in Washington, D.C., the series follows two ruthless step-siblings who will do anything to stay at the top of the Greek Life hierarchy at their elite college. When a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputations… including seducing the daughter of the U.S. vice president.

    ‘Euphoria’s Phoebe Fisher is on to write the pilot alongside ‘Gossip Girl’ veteran Sara Goodman. Which feels appropriate, since ‘Cruel Intentions’ could fit happily into the same genre of the latter in particular.

    This is far from the first attempt to turn the movie into a show. In 2016, NBC ordered a pilot for a version that would pick up more directly from the original. In it, Annette (with Kate Levering taking over the role), is raising the baby she had after her relationship with Sebastian (who dies at the end of the movie). Set 16 years later, Annette once again interacts with Kathryn (which would see Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to the role) when the teen, Bash, runs away to San Diego.

    The series didn’t go beyond that point despite Sony Pictures TV then looking for a new home, and Gellar admits she didn’t think it would work in hindsight.

    Here’s what she had to say to TV Line:

    “On the first day, I was like, ‘This isn’t working.’ It’s just not a network show. And if it is a network show, it’s not my ‘Cruel Intentions’. So, I was actually grateful.”

    Production on the new show should be kicking off this July in Toronto.

    Selma Blair and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999's 'Cruel Intentions.'
    (L to R) Selma Blair and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999’s ‘Cruel Intentions.’

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    Buy ‘Cruel Intentions’ on Amazon

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  • 12 Things You Never Knew About ‘Cruel Intentions’ on its 20th Anniversary

    12 Things You Never Knew About ‘Cruel Intentions’ on its 20th Anniversary

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    It’s been 20 years since “Cruel Intentions” hit theaters and exposed moviegoers to the seedy, sexual underbelly of New York City prep school life. And despite middling reviews at the time, its popularity has endured over the years. Let’s celebrate the occasion with a few behind-the-scenes secrets about this steamy drama.

    1. The original title for the film was “Cruel Inventions,” but it was altered after test audiences complained that it sounded like a science fiction movie.

    2. “Cruel Intentions” is actually a modernized adaptation of French author  Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel “Les Liaisons dangereuses.”

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    3. That novel has been adapted for film six other times, most notably 1988’s “Dangerous Liaisons.”

    4. Producer Neal H. Moritz previously worked with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe on 1997’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and immediately made them his top choices to star in “Cruel Intentions.”

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    5. Reese Witherspoon improvised the memorable moment where her character Annette slaps Phillippe’s Sebastian. That’s why Phillippe’s expression of shock is so genuine.

    6. Despite both playing high schoolers in the film, Witherspoon is actually five years older than Gellar.

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    7. Costume designer Denise Wingate purposely clothed Annette in light colors and Sebastian in dark colors in order to contrast their opposing natures.

    8. While Kathryn tells Sean Patrick Thomas‘ Ronald that Sebastian hit her, the film doesn’t reveal whether she’s actually telling the truth. Director Roger Kumble filmed a scene of Sebastian hitting Kathryn but chose to remove it and maintain the ambiguity.

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    9. An earlier screenplay draft featured an alternate ending where Annette chooses to withhold the journal and blackmail Kathryn rather than publishing it.

    10. There are currently two direct-to-video sequels to “Cruel Intentions,” though 2001’s “Cruel Intentions II” is actually a prequel and 2004’s “Cruel Intentions 3” is a loosely connected spinoff.

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    11. “Cruel Intentions 2” was created using footage from three episodes of an unaired TV series called “Manchester Prep,” and follows younger versions of Sebastian and Kathryn.

    12. In 2015, NBC announced plans for a sequel TV series that would feature Gellar reprising her role as an older Kathryn and revolve around Sebastian and Annette’s son.  Unfortunately, NBC eventually scrapped the project the following year.

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  • Sarah Michelle Gellar Does Not Support ‘Cruel Intentions’ Being Listed as a Kids Movie

    The 1999 drama “Cruel Intentions” may be R-rated, but a fan recently found it included in Apple TV’s “kids & family” section. Needless to say, a lot of people were surprised, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, one of the film’s stars.

    The issue was brought to the actress’s attention via an Instagram post that showed “Cruel Intentions” listed alongside movies like “Despicable Me 3” and “Leap.” It was definitely a case of “one of these things is not like the other,” and Gellar was so shocked that she reposted the original photo.

    “It appears @appletv and I have different ideas on kids viewing,” she wrote. “I guess you could say it’s educational…right?!?”

    Educational is certainly one way to describe it. The risqué film does have a lot of lessons to teach about drugs and sex, but we wouldn’t describe any of them as kid- or family-friendly. We’re with SMG on this: A re-categorization is in order.

  • NBC Has Scrapped ‘Cruel Intentions’ Reboot Plans, But There’s Still Hope

    Sarah Michelle Gellar And Ryan Phillippe In 'Cruel Intentions'“Cruel Intentions” fans are in for a let-down, so let’s just rip off the Band-Aid: NBC is no longer moving forward with the 1999 cult thriller’s reboot.

    Although plans for the spinoff TV series have been in the works for over a year, NBC ultimately decided it was a no-go at the network. Variety reports that the decision wasn’t a matter of NBC not liking the show — apparently, there are just too many upcoming series on the slate and the project wasn’t the right fit. Sources say that matters were further complicated by negotiations between NBC and Sony TV over stacking rights and ownership.

    Fortunately, there’s a silver lining for fans dying to see Sarah Michelle Gellar reprise her original role as the scheming Kathryn Merteuil. Sony TV reportedly remains committed to the project and is shopping it around to other networks. Multiple are said to have expressed interest, so we may see Kathryn and the next generation of manipulative prep school kids yet.

    [via: Variety]