‘Cruel Intentions’ TV Show Update: Pilot Options Extended for Entire Cast

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The Cruel Intentions TV show is still in the works.

As of today, the pilot options on the entire cast have been extended, Variety has learned.

The television remake of the ’90s teen drama was picked up to pilot at NBC earlier this year, though was not ordered to series. The network still has not made a decision on whether to order the series, but remains interested, therefore asking for cast option extensions for everyone, including lead Sarah Michelle Gellar, who is reprising her role in the potential TV series.

With NBC stalling to make a decision, sources say that Sony Television (the studio behind Cruel Intentions), has garnered interest from cable and streaming outlets, including Hulu, Freeform and more.

Insiders maintain that NBC is still looking at Cruel Intentions, perhaps for a summer 2017 debut, but the network has not settled on a sensible spot for the younger-skewing, sexy show, since it’s unlike anything else on The Peacock’s slate.

Back in May during the week of Upfronts, NBC boss Bob Greenblatt told reporters: “We’re still discussing it…It falls under the heading of embarrassment of riches. It’s a bit of an outlier for us. There’s no other show like it [on our schedule]. We like it, we’re still discussing it and we’re trying to figure it out.”

Cruel Intentions creator Roger Kumble, who is on board to write and exec produce the television reboot, recently told Variety that both Sony and NBC remain committed to the show.

“The latest I’ve heard is that Sony and NBC are trying to figure this out,” Kumble said in an interview earlier this month. “It feels like a long time, but it hasn’t been that long because they had the upfronts and then it was Memorial Day and everyone in the industry goes on vacation so I think they’re regrouping. What’s been great is that I’m still getting emails of support from NBC and Sony saying, ‘We’re behind this show.’”

Kumble’s co-writers on Cruel Intentions are scribes Lindsey Rosin and Jordan Ross. Aside from Gellar, the cast includes Peter Gallagher, Kate Levering in the role originally played by Reese Witherspoon, plus newcomer Taylor John Smith who stars as the son of Ryan Phillippe’s late character.

The pilot briefly leaked about one month ago to industry insiders, creating social buzz for the show, which already has an avid Twitter fanbase. As recently seen with Nashville, which landed at CMT after being cancelled by ABC, social noise can make an impact.

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