Anyone who loved the 1988 cult movie ‘Heathers’ will be delighted to learn that there is a television series planned based on the movie. While many of the themes of the show remain the same, there are some modern twists and the characters have been completely revamped.
‘Heathers’ was a black comedy directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Daniel Waters. The award-winning film was about three teens named Heather who wreak havoc on their school. The leading women in the movie were Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, and Kim Walker. The film also starred Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Lance Fenton, Patrick Labyorteaux, and Carrie Lynn. The film was both a commercial and critical success, making a profit at the box office and receiving excellent reviews. This has led to ‘Heathers’ becoming a cult movie.
The television series has given the casting an overhaul as the characters are now from traditionally marginalized communities rather than focusing simply on the lives of three white women as is the case in the movie. Executive producer Jason Micallef perceives the characters in an entirely different way than the movie and sees them as victims rather than villains. This has led them to explore the characters in a deeper way in the television series in comparison to the film.
Micallef also compares the time in which the film was released to the current time in which the television series is set for release. He says that the film was set in a time of political transition at the end of the Reagan-era and that the series is set in a new era of political transition. He feels this is relevant to understanding the behavior of the characters and is an important aspect of the plot in both the movie and the series.
The three Heathers in the new series are played by Melanie Field, Jasmine Matthews, and Brendan Scannel. The latter actor is playing Heather ‘Heath’ Duke who is a gay teen and this is a significant difference to the casting in the original film. The series will also star Grace Victoria Cox as Veronica Sawyer and James Scully as JD. Recurring cast members include Selma Blair, Birgundi Baker, and Cameron Gellman.
Interestingly, a cast member is returning from the original film to play a new role in the television series. Originally, Shannen Doherty played Heather Duke. She will have a cameo role in three episodes of the television series. There have not yet been any details released about the character Doherty will play.
This is not the first time the movie has been adapted as it was also adapted into an off-Broadway stage musical in 2010 by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy. It was originally directed by Andy Fickman and starred Elle McLemore, Alice Lee, and Jessica Keenan Wynn as the three Heathers.
Fans of the movie do not have long to wait to see the television series adaptation as it is set to premiere on Paramount Network on March 7, 2018. The first season will consist of ten one-hour-long episodes.
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