7 ‘Cruel Intentions’ Characters We Hope to See on Prime Video Series
After years of efforts to get a Cruel Intentions TV series to the screen, it seems like a Prime Video production will go the distance.
The upcoming series is set at an elite college in Washington, D.C., “where two ruthless step-siblings will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy,” according to Prime Video. “After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system at their school, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation, even if that means seducing the daughter of the vice president of the United States.”
So it sounds like the new Cruel Intentions is a reboot rather than a continuation of the 1999 cult-classic film of the same name — an adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ novel Les Liaisons dangereuses — in which step-siblings Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) made a wicked wager involving their chaste new prep-school classmate, Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon).
And even though original Cruel Intentions star Sean Patrick Thomas is on the call sheet of the series, it appears he’ll be playing a new character: Professor Chadwick, versus the film’s Ronald Clifford.
Even so, we’d be eager to see some of the film’s characters cross over to the small-screen Cruel Intentions. Here’s that wish list.
Marci Greenbaum (Tara Reid)
We first saw Sebastian’s villainy in action when his therapist’s straight-A, Princeton-bound daughter reported that he posted her nudes online. Sebastian is no longer with us, but Reid’s character deserves a comeback in the TV series nevertheless.
Example line: “Cut the psycho-babble bulls**t, Mom — there’s pictures of me on the internet!”
Dr. Regina Greenbaum (Swoosie Kurtz)
The aforementioned therapist seemed immune to Sebastian’s provocations — until Marci told her what he did just as he was leaving her office. We’d love to see Kurtz go foul-mouthed for the TV series, too.
Example line: “You’re going to pay for this, you little s**t! Do you hear me? You sicko pervert!”
Bunny Caldwell (Christine Baranski)
Cecile’s nouveau-riche mother was the model of gentility… until she realized her daughter’s boyfriend was Black. We hope Mrs. Caldwell returns and atones or gets comeuppance for her bigotry, especially if it means another role for Baranski.
Example line: “Don’t give me that racist crap. We gave money to Colin Powell.”
Blaine Tuttle (Joshua Jackson)
Jackson has a scene-stealing turn in the Cruel Intention film as an openly gay Manchester Prep student all too willing to help Sebastian’s machinations… for the right price, of course.
Example line: “The man has a mouth like a Hoover.”
Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair)
In the film, Blair’s character started off as a sheltered teen who knew nothing about sex and trusted Kathryn and Sebastian too much. Eventually, though, she turned the tables on Kathryn…
Example line: “I started getting really hot, and then I started shaking. And — I don’t know — it was weird. It just felt like an explosion… but a good one.”
Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon)
Witherspoon’s character, the new headmaster’s daughter, wanted to keep herself chaste until marriage, and then she met Sebastian. She didn’t know at first that she was a pawn in his and Kathryn’s game, but the checkmate was all hers.
Example line: “It’s my belief that people shouldn’t experience the act of love until they are in love. And I just don’t think people our age are mature enough to experience those kinds of emotions.”
Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar)
Gellar filmed one ill-fated Cruel Intentions pilot for NBC years ago, later saying that the story should be “straight streaming.” So now that a streaming platform, Prime Video, has a Cruel Intentions series lined up, we can only hope to see her character — an Upper East Sider more devious than any other “gossip girl” — one more time.
Example line: “Eat me, Sebastian. It’s all right for guys like you and Court to f**k everyone, but I get dumped for innocent twits like Cecile. God forbid I exude confidence and enjoy sex.”
