Few movies in the ’90s captivated the imaginations of high school mean girls and cliques everywhere like 1999’s “Cruel Intentions.” A teen adaptation of the iconic 18th-century French epistolary novel “Les Liaisons dangereuses,” the cult classic is conniving, ruthless drama exemplified.  And it found an eager audience instantly, spawning a prequel in 2000, a 2004 sequel, and a musical in 2015.
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And now add a television series to that list. Next month, “Cruel Intentions” gets the binge-worthy treatment: an eight-episode update that takes the original’s premise of cutthroat young adults and transplants it from NYC to Washington DC. The students of fictional elite Manchester College are all ready to social climb their way to social power, and they’ll do just about anything to reach the top of the heap, ethics be damnd.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Cruel Intentions,” courtesy of Prime Video:In this new adaptation, Cruel Intentions follows the elite students of Manchester College, a Washington, D.C.-adjacent university, where reputation means everything, fraternities and sororities are the gold standard, and two ruthless step-siblings, Caroline Merteuil and Lucien Belmont, will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Greek Life system, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation – even if that means seducing Annie Grover, the daughter of the Vice President of the United States. Hearts will be broken, loyalties will be tested, and secrets will be revealed in this modern-day royal court that is Manchester College.
Sarah Catherine Hook leads the cast of “Cruel Intentions” with Zac Burgress, Savannah Lee Smith, and Sara Silva. John Harlan Kim and Khobe Clarke also star.  Sean Patrick Thomas and Brooke Lena Johnson round out the main cast.
Sara Goodman and Phoebe Fisher serve as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers on “Cruel Intentions.” Other executive producers include Neal H. Moritz and Pavun Shetty through Original Film and Roger Kumble; Kumble is the director of the original film, and co-wrote its script with Moritz.  Producers include Bruce Mellon, Andrea Iervolino, and Monika Bacardi through Iervolino & Bacardi Entertainment. “Cruel Intentions” is a Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, and Original Film production.
“Cruel Intentions” premieres on Prime Video on November 21. Watch a trailer for the new series below.