Everything We Know About the Spinoff Series
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Few movie musicals can claim to have the popularity and dedicated following that 1978's Grease has. Starring John Travolta and the late great Olivia Newton-John, the bombastic musical successfully launched audiences everywhere back in time to a 1950s high school, complete with catchy tunes, troublesome teens, and wacky hair. Though the film has struggled to kickstart a franchise, as Grease 2 (1982) wasn't nearly as well received as its predecessor. Still, Paramount is going to attempt to bring new life into the long-dormant series with a brand-new show dropping later this year. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (2023) takes place several years before the events of the original Grease film, once again taking place at Rydell High but now following an entirely new cast of characters. The protagonists of this particular story, as the title implies, will be the group of teenagers who form the "Pink Ladies", the exclusive club of rebellious young women who essentially rule the school. The new series is expected to explore the origins of the iconic group and explain how exactly the group came into being before Sandy, Rizzo, Frenchie, Jan, and Marty joined the beloved crew.
Those eager to see the new series luckily won't have to wait for a "Summer Night", as the anticipated prequel series will be hitting screens sooner than you think. To find out about the show's release date, cast, trailer, and more, here is everything we know so far about Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
When and Where Is Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Releasing?
A new generation of teenagers will start racing their T-Birds around the campus of Rydell High starting Thursday, April 6, 2023. The show's official release schedule hasn't yet been released, but it's likely that the series will take the same model of other Paramount+ shows and release a new episode every following Thursday. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is being developed as a Paramount+ exclusive, meaning that will be the one and only place to stream the Grease prequel when it arrives later this Spring. Paramount+ currently has two subscription plans available - Essential and Premium. Essential is priced at $4.99 USD per month or $49.99 USD per year, offering the entire catalog of Paramount+ with limited ads as well as select live programming from the NFL and UEFA. Premium is priced at $9.99 USD per month or $99.99 USD per year, removing most ads from the service and including access to the live CBS channel.
Watch the Trailer for Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
The brief teaser trailer for Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies introduces the four girls expected to be a part of the show's Pink Ladies gang. We also get to see a somewhat familiar face and the only returning character we know of so far, a slightly younger Principal McGee (Jackie Hoffman), who at this point is only an Assistant Principal. The rest of the forty-five-second trailer packs in a lot of what you would expect from a Grease show, including vintage cars, rebellious teens, and even a few flashy musical numbers, one of which is playing the iconic opening song of the original film. Eagle-eyed fans may also notice a greaser with a leather jacket with the T-Bird logo etched into it, showing that the origins of the boys' group from Grease might also be explored.
What Is the Plot of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies?
The official plot synopsis for Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies reads as follows:
In 1954, four years before the original Grease, before rock 'n' roll ruled and before the T-Birds were the coolest in the school. It follows four fed-up outcasts who dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that will change Rydell High forever.
Given that the series will only take place a few years before the events of the original film, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that we might see some younger versions of classic characters like Danny, Rizzo, and more.
Who's In the Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Cast?
As mentioned earlier, Jackie Hoffman (Only Murders in the Building) will be playing the role of Assistant Principal McGee, filling the shoes of Eve Arden (Anatomy of a Murder), who played the character in both Grease and Grease 2. Portraying the rest of the main cast of Pink Ladies are Marisa Davila as Jane, Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy, and Shanel Bailey as Hazel. The ensemble also includes Madison Thompson as Susan, Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally, and Chris McNally as Mr. Daniels, with Charlotte Kavanagh, Josette Halpert, Nicholas McDonough, Maximo Weber Salas, and Alexis Sides, among others.
Who's Making Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies?
Three directors are currently slated for Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. They include Alethea Jones (Evil), Jamal Sims (When the Beat Drops), and Diego Velasco (Orange is the New Black). The series is also boasting a packed writers' room consisting of Alison Levering (One Day at a Time), Annabel Oakes (Atypical), Laura Pollak (Fairfax), Kayla Richardson (The Beez & The Chickadeez), Raul Martin Romero (Colin in Black & White), and Auriel Rudnick (On My Block).
The show also includes music by Zachary Dawes (The Peanut Butter Falcon), Nick Sena (Big Time Adolescence), and Justin Tranter (The Bravest Knight), cinematography by D.J. Stipsen (What We Do in the Shadows) and Mark Chow (The Imperfects), editing by Peter CabadaHagan (A League of Their Own), Antonia de Barros (Mrs. Davis), and Phillip Fowler (Lock & Key), and production design by Mark S. Freeborn (Breaking Bad).
Will Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Get a Second Season?
That depends entirely on how many tune in to see the Rise of the Pink Ladies during its first season. If enough audiences and critics agree that "Grease is the Word", then the odds of the Pink Ladies returning for a sophomore season will be far more likely.
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