Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin is taking the mystery and suspense of its predecessor and adding in horror elements, weaving together a new, and darker narrative this time around. The original teen drama series aired on ABC Family (now Freeform) for seven seasons and observed the lives of five high school girls who, following the disappearance of their friend, become tormented by the anonymous, A, who threatens to reveal their darkest secrets. Since its debut in 2010, the show became a relative success, generating a large and loyal fandom, as well as the short-lived spin-offs: Ravenswood and The Perfectionists.
After the show's conclusion in 2017, fans were eager to see more within its universe, but it was not until last year that a Pretty Little Liars reboot was officially announced. Premiering on HBO Max, the new series will be taken over by Riverdale showrunner, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The story will differ a bit from the original, taking place in the town of Millwood, PA, miles away from Rosewood. Focusing on a new group of teenage girls, it will track their lives as they deal with another unknown threat, intent on making them pay for the sin committed by their parents decades ago.
Lucy Hale, one of Pretty Little Liars original alums, recently shared what she knows about the upcoming reboot in an interview with Variety. Previously featured in Aguirre-Sacasa's CW project Katy Keene, Hale dismisses the rumors relating to her and her co-stars possible returns, but states that fans can expect the new series to be really dark. Read her quote about the likelihood of returning in Original Sin and the tone it will take below:
"As far as I know, no one from the original is involved in any way. From what I hear, it's going to be really dark."
News of the young Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin cast had fans buzzing, but many were also hoping to see their favorites from the original return in some capacity. Rumors of these actors taking on behind-the-scenes roles circulated for some time, but Lucy's quote indicates they may be false. The new cast includes Bailee Madison, Chandler Kinney, and Maia Reficco, among others.
It seems that along with new faces, fans can expect a more horror-tinged Pretty Little Liars in the upcoming reboot. Hale confirmed it will have a dark tone, but fans of Aguirre-Sacasa's television projects like Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina know of his inclination to scatter horror elements throughout. It will also be interesting to uncover the identity of the new A in this Pretty Little Liars reboot, and to find out how it relates to the tragedy that befell the town of Millwood. Perhaps if in the same universe, this new iteration will even offer some connective tissue. With more news coming out piece by piece, there's a lot to look forward to in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.
Source: Variety