A certain generation of fans is about to be very pleased with this next bit of news! The 1995 film Clueless, which is set to have its milestone 30th anniversary in July, is one of the best teen films of its time (and all time!), and it continues to resonate with audiences today. How can fans celebrate 30 years of Clueless this year? Well, they can start early with the news that a TV series follow-up is in the works with a familiar face set to make a return.
Per Deadline, a Clueless follow-up TV series is in the works at Peacock and – as if! – Alicia Silverstone is totally on board to return as Cher Horowitz, a role she originated in the 1995 film that started it all. In addition to the legacy pedigree in front of the camera, the writing team is no stranger to crafting material adored by generations of teens. Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, best known for their work on The O.C. and Gossip Girl, will be writing the series for the streamer and will also executive produce through their Fake Empire banner. Joining them to pen the follow-up is Dollface creator Jordan Weiss, while original writer-director Amy Heckerling and producer Robert Lawrence will also take on executive producing duties.
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Peacock Previously Tried To Adapt ‘Clueless’ as a Television Series
There was an attempt to resurrect Clueless for a television audience six years ago, when Peacock began development on a reboot that would be focused on Stacey Dash’s character, Dionne Davenport. That concept was more of a murder mystery that followed Dionne as she tried to solve the murder of her best friend, Cher. That take seemed to be inspired by what The CW was doing with Riverdale, which had a similar darker tone that was different from its source material. Ultimately, the project never came to fruition at the streamer.
CBS TV Studios, which owns the television IP, still wanted to do something with the Clueless brand and eventually came across a new creative team that consisted of Schwartz, Savage and Weiss. Getting Silverstone on board to reprise her iconic role as Cher Horowitz helped push this version of the show through development, which is said to still be early in the game. No plot details are available at this time, and it’s only known that it will be a direct follow-up to the film.
Released in 1995 and written and directed by Heckerling, Clueless is a modern update of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma and focuses on a popular and very wealthy high school student named Cher (Silverstone) who wants to perform good deeds, usually to her benefit. Things begin to change when she and her best friend Dionne (Dash) befriend a new girl at school named Tai Fraser (Brittany Murphy) and decide to give her a makeover. Through a series of events, Cher begins to look into her own existence and realizes that not everything can be fixed with new clothes and a new look, all while navigating a tricky relationship with her stepbrother Josh (Paul Rudd).
Clueless became an instant hit and classic upon release, grossing $88 million globally on a $12 million budget. The film carries an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus that reads, “A funny and clever reshaping of Emma, Clueless offers a soft satire that pokes as much fun at teen films as it does the Beverly Hills glitterati.” In the years since its release, it has generated a massive cult following and is considered one of the best teen movies of all time.
The movie first spawned a TV show in 1996, which saw Rachel Blanchard taking over for Silverstone as Cher alongside returning stars Dash, Donald Faison (Murray), and Elisa Donovan (Amber) from the film. The series began its life on ABC for its first season, but it was shifted to the UPN network after ABC pulled the plug. In all, the Clueless television series ran for three seasons and a total of 62 episodes.
Source: Deadline
Release Date
July 19, 1995
Runtime
97 minutes
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