HBO Max unveils a creepy Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin trailer introducing a new "A" to the popular teen franchise. Loosely based on the book series of the same name by Sara Shepard and developed for television by I. Marlene King, Pretty Little Liars originally premiered on Freeform in 2010. The series follows the lives of five best friends whose clique falls apart following the disappearance of their leader, Alison. A year later, the estranged friend group reunites as they begin receiving messages from a mysterious figure named "A" threatening to expose their deepest and darkest secrets.
Throughout its initial run, Pretty Little Liars managed to garner a large fanbase and the series finale was watched by almost 1.5 million viewers. Since the original series ended in 2010, the franchise has been attempting to expand in various ways. The next Pretty Little Liars series is subtitled Original Sin and set to air on HBO Max, making it the first to be carried on a streaming service. With Riverdale creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa taking over for King as showrunner, Original Sin acts as a spinoff set in the same universe as Pretty Little Liars, but will focus on new characters in a different setting.
Now, audiences are getting their first full look at the spinoff series. HBO Max unveiled the first teaser trailer for Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, teasing a "New town. New A. New horrors." The minute-long video puts the spotlight solely on an unknown assailant as he sets his sights on a new set of teenage targets. Check out the trailer below:
Click here to watch the trailer on YouTube.
Thus far, attempts to expand Pretty Little Liars into an extended universe have largely been unsuccessful. The first supernatural spinoff series, Ravenswood, premiered in 2013 and was cancelled the following year after just one season. The second spinoff show, Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists, was even shorter-lived than that; it premiered in 2019 and was axed after just three months on the air. Now, the franchise is set to receive yet another spinoff show. Though they are not seen in the flesh in this trailer, Original Sin will introduce a new generation of little liars played by Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, Bailee Madison, Zaria, and Malia Pyles.
The Pretty Little Liars franchise seems well aware that if it wants to survive, it will have to offer something a bit different than previous spinoff attempts and this Original Sin trailer seems to accomplish just that. In a new synopsis, HBO reveals the series will take place in a town called Millwood that was rocked by a string of tragic events 20 years ago. Now, the new "A" torments a group of girls to make them pay for the sins of their parents. The series seems to be aiming for a darker and grittier tone reminiscent of David Fincher's work, specifically his serial killer thrillers like Se7en and Zodiac. The wait for Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin won't be too long, as the first three episodes are slated to premiere on July 28.
Source: HBO Max/YouTube