A's back, but the PLL reboot is looking a little different...and a whole lot scarier.
The anonymous predator has targeted a new group of high schoolers for their parents' sins in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and it seems the stakes are much higher one generation later.
Though the cast and crew were intent on paying their respects to the original series, this project from HBO Max breathes new life into the YA novel turned TV show in the best way possible.
Here are a few of the differences to expect when you indulge in the reboot! (Curious where to watch Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin? Don't worry—we've got you covered.)
How the 'PLL' reboot differs from the classic
1. The cast
It's time to part ways with Aria's group in Rosewood and head for Millwood. The cast of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is a bit different and more diverse, but the young actresses have one thing in common: they're huge fans of the OG.
Here's who's who this go-around:
- Bailee Madison as Imogen
- Chandler Kinney as Tabby
- Zari as Faran
- Malia Pyles as Minnie
- Maia Reficco as Noa
"We very consciously said it didn't continue with the original characters," the show's co-creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told Entertainment Weekly. "Honestly, the first series was so iconic. Trying to ask people to embrace a new Aria or a new Spencer felt like a losing proposition."
But that doesn't mean we've forgotten about the original liars entirely: though it's too soon to tell whether or not we'll be catching glimpses of familiar faces, Lucy Hale (the infamous Aria) is not opposed to making a comeback.
"I don’t know, listen, who knows…? Would I be a mom now? I never say never… So we’ll see," she told Extra.
2. The location
The show is stepping outside the affluent Rosewood and making its way to a grittier location, Millwood. Aguirre-Sacasa claims the new locale is "down on its luck" to The New York Post, so we sense that A must really be putting residents on edge.
3. It's more intense
The YA thriller is a cult classic that's earned its proper spot on our list of nostalgic TV list,. Now, PLL is flirting with a new genre.
"The idea of doing a horror/slasher version of PLL where A was a villain like Jason from Friday the 13th or Michael Myers from Halloween or Freddy Krueger …feels like a way that we can honor the original show, and yet do something new and explore a new genre," Aguirre-Sacasa further revealed to the post.
4. New mysteries...and villain
Although the premise is the same, there will, of course, be new mysteries looming over our fresh cast as well as a new assailant who's hellbent on torturing the young girls.
The show drops on July 28, and needless to say, everyone's clearing their streaming schedules to make room for this highly-anticipated release. But as sequels go, many seem to miss the mark. Is the new PLL worth it? Critics have respond with a resounding "A-bsolutely."
