This just in: HBO Max is bringing back Gossip Girl, your one and only source for the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite, later this year for a whole new series.
And, in a significant twist, we’ll know the identity of the enigmatic “Gossip Girl” from the very first episode this time around…
If you’re wondering where you can watch Gossip Girl in the UK, BBC One and BBC iPlayer have also revealed that they’ve secured the UK premiere rights, as well as the box set of the previous six seasons.
The revival, which also boasts a whole new cast and revolves on two half-sisters, was first announced in July 2019, with original executive producer Joshua Safran penning the new 10 episodes.
However, he has subsequently stressed that the relaunch will have significant distinctions from the original CW series, emphasising that it will not be “wealth porn.”
“These kids grapple with their privilege in a manner that I don’t believe the original did,” Safran told Variety recently.
“Things have altered in light of [Black Lives Matter], in light of a lot of things, even going back to Occupy Wall Street.”
He stated, “I think the first [Gossip Girl] displayed a little bit of money porn or privilege porn, like, ‘Look at these automobiles, or here’s a montage of the nicest plated cuisine you’ve ever seen.”
Instead, viewers will hopefully strive to “want to be like the characters rather than having what they have” as a result of the relaunch.
The remake, set in a post-pandemic New York, is marketed as a “continuation” of the previous CW series and, like the first, is based on the Cecily von Ziegesar novels.
According to the show’s logline, nine years after the original website went down, another group of Different York private schoolchildren will be introduced to Gossip Girl’s social surveillance — but under a new guise.
Instead of the original blog, Gossip Girl’s site will now take the form of an anonymous Instagram account, according to the official teaser (published in June 2021).
Safra remained tight-lipped about Gossip Girl’s identity, but suffice it to say, there will be a highly surprising twist in episode one (via Variety).
The show’s planned premiere date was pushed back from 2020 to 2021 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 (which is why some official show descriptions say that the Gossip Girl website went dark eight years ago, instead of nine).
The show’s writing will mention and incorporate the lockdown and pandemic, according to clips shared on the official Gossip Girl Twitter feed, with one character joking about seeing their pal without a face mask for the first time.Read on to learn everything you need to know about the upcoming revival of Gossip Girl.
Gossip Girl reboot release date
The revived series will premiere on HBO Max on July 8, 2021 in the United States.
The CW has announced that the premiere of the Gossip Girl remake will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 9th, the day after its streaming debut.
How to watch the Gossip Girl reboot in the UK
Gossip Girl will now air in the United Kingdom on BBC One and BBC iPlayer “later this year,” according to the network.
What’s more, the BBC iPlayer will be boxing the previous six seasons of the CW original series for viewers to binge-watch.
“The BBC has a rich track record of acquiring some of the best content from around the world to complement our original commissions, and we are delighted to be reacquainting existing fans and introducing new viewers to the iconic world of Gossip Girl on BBC iPlayer,” said Dan McGolpin, Director, BBC iPlayer and Channels, in a statement.
We can’t wait for everyone to see the new series with its thrilling new generation, as the previous series defined an era.”
We’ll keep this page updated when more information becomes available.
#GossipGirl is coming to @BBCiPlayer and @BBCOne later this year, but you didn’t hear it from us. https://t.co/Rj10qVFiOn
XOXO pic.twitter.com/CYry9aEAKj
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) July 2, 2021
Gossip Girl reboot cast
Emily Alyn Lind, Tavi Gevinson, Whitney Peak, Eli Brown, Johnathan Fernandez, Jordan Alexander, Savannah Smith, Evan Mock, Jason Gotay, Thomas Doherty, Adam Chanler-Berat, Savannah Smith, and Zion Moreno are among the cast members of the Gossip Girl reboot.
On the show’s official Instagram account, the central characters and their main features were previewed in a sequence of photographs showcasing the characters dressed in their New Year’s clothes.
Jordan Alexander, for example, plays Julien Calloway, the resident queen-bee who prioritizes her “influence” over all other qualities.
Meanwhile, Zoya Lott (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) is played by Whitney Peak (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina).
According to Vulture, she’s also the “half-sister” of Julien, who is more privileged.
In a previous interview with Entertainment Tonight, Gossip Girl reboot star Eli Brown hinted about his character, Otto “Obie” Bergmann IV.
“We’ve been told to keep even the limited information we know under wraps, but I can tell you that my character is a fantastic guy.
He is a humanitarian and hails from an affluent family,” he explained.
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Laura Benanti (Tony Award winner), Elizabeth Lail (You), and Megan Ferguson (Curb Your Enthusiasm) are among the cast members.
Meanwhile, Lyne Renée will play Helena Bergmann, a recurring character who is a former model turned real estate billionaire and the mother of Otto (played by Eli Brown).
The remake will, according to series star Whitney Peak, have better LGBTQ+ inclusion than the original series.
“There’s a lot of representation in this one, which I don’t think we saw in the first one.
It’s wonderful to see individuals that look like you and share your interests, especially if they’re in entertainment, which is so influential and obviously reflective of the times,” the star told Dazed.
Peak co-star Emily Alyn Lind (who plays teen Audrey Hope, whose key attribute is “grace”) noted in the same interview that the show “normalizes things that were prohibited before.”
“I believe we can declare that we’ll be making a series in 2020 and 2021. It’s critical that we not only talk about these issues but also express them as common occurrences among children.
It shouldn’t be a novel or thrilling topic to discuss; it simply exists. It’s about normalizing things that were once unusual or taboo.”
Will Kristen Bell voice Gossip Girl again?
Yes! Kristen Bell (The Good Place, Frozen franchise) reprises her position as narrator in Gossip Girl, and her voice can be heard in a first-look teaser video.
Gossip Girl offers an unsettling message for the new generation of rich kids in the minute-long clip. She says, “You’ve gotten so comfy.”Believing you have control over your image, your behavior, and the story.
“But there’s one thing you forgot: I can see you. And before I leave, I’ll make sure you see me.
Xoxo.”
Gossip Girl reboot trailer
The first teaser trailer featuring Kristen Bell’s narration was released in May 2021.
'Gossip Girl' returns on July 8, and the first teaser for the HBO Max revival is here 💋pic.twitter.com/4rJQbP2BVL
— Fandom (@getFANDOM) May 28, 2021
The official trailer (which was released in June) features the Frank Ocean song “Super Rich Kids.”
Before we meet the designer-clad set at Constance Billard, we see a number of beautiful apartments (one set of bookcases appears to be adorned with Grammy Awards, implying that one of the wealthy parents is a famous music artist or producer).
Eric Daman, the original series’ costume designer, returns for the relaunch.
He previously told Fashionista, “The casting is looking pretty amazing, and it’s surreal to be invited to be a part of it.”
“I believe it will be exciting—it will undoubtedly be a challenge, which I enjoy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsah5yCzh-U
Gossip Girl reboot plot
According to the official synopsis, a new generation of New York’s young elite has taken control of private school Constance Billard, nine years after the Gossip Girl website went offline.
When the infamous blogger (now Instagrammer) reappears as the “number one source into their scandalous lives,” the school’s elite group is given a harsh surprise.
The show will have a completely new cast of characters (no Serena van der Woodsen or Blair Waldorf, unless there are unexpected cameos from original Gossip Girl cast members).
Karen Edwards will reportedly helm the first two episodes of the HBO Max revival, which will take place in New York’s Upper East Side.
However, there has been speculation about a strange “twist” at the end of the pilot episode, implying that the reboot will defy expectations right away.
