A Different World sequel set for Netflix
Netflix has approved a pilot for A Different World, a sequel to the beloved 1987 sitcom that starred Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison as Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne. The new series will follow their daughter as she navigates life at an HBCU.
As reported by Deadline, this marks only the second time Netflix has ordered a pilot. Typically, the streaming service produces shows straight-to-series, bypassing the traditional pilot episode and commissioning entire seasons from the start, unlike network TV.
Sources close to Deadline indicate that this pilot is a one-time occurrence, not the start of a larger shift in Netflix's strategy. The production boasts a strong lineup of talent, including writer, executive producer, and showrunner Felicia Pride, as well as executive producers Debbie Allen, Mandy Summers, Tom Werner, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Reggie Bythewood.
Allen, Werner, and the Bythewoods are all veterans of the original series, with Allen returning as director for the sequel-a role she held throughout the original show's run.
The 1987 series itself was a spinoff of The Cosby Show and initially focused on Lisa Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and her experiences at Hillman College, a fictional HBCU. However, after Bonet's departure following the first season due to her pregnancy, the show shifted focus to an ensemble cast that included Hardison, Guy, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Sinbad, Cree Summer, and Glynn Turman.
While the original series centered around Hillman, it's unclear whether the sequel will remain set there or feature a different HBCU.
In a similar vein to Peacock's Bel-Air, a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the sequel will have a more modern approach, with Pride having worked as a supervising producer on Bel-Air's third season.
Filming for the pilot is slated to take place in Atlanta this June, though production will need to quickly finalize its casting for the remaining roles.
The post A Different World sequel set for Netflix appeared first on HBCU Gameday.
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