It looks like Grease will be the word once more in 2023.
That’s right, fans of the beloved musical are getting the chance to go back to Rydell High. Set before the antics of the late Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy and John Travolta’s Danny, and the Pink Ladies as ruled over by the feisty Rizzo, fans will get another serving of 1950s nostalgia with a modern twist.
While Pantene’s Color of the Year might have already been selected as Viva Magenta, if this new generation are anywhere as iconic as Rizzo, Frenchie and co, pink might quickly become the dominant color once more.
If news of returning to Rydell has given you chills, and they’re multiplying, read on to find out more details about the upcoming series, including who’s in the cast and when it might be releasing.
What do we know about Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies?
Taking place four years before the events of Grease, Rise of the Pink Ladies will also star Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally, and Jackie Hoffman as Assistant Principal McGee. The series will center around the formation of the all-female quartet, The Pink Ladies, who eventually rule the school.
As the logline reads, “Before rock ‘n’ roll ruled, before the T-Birds were the coolest in the school, four fed-up outcasts dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that will change Rydell High forever.”
Like the original Grease movie – and the oft-forgotten sequel starring none other than Michelle Pfeiffer – the prequel series will feature music.
The show is expected to feature original music composed by Justin Tranter, who has worked with Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Britney Spears, and more.
The show will be a love letter to the women who grew up in that era, too.
The showrunner, Annabel Oakes, wanted to capture the true spirit. She explains, "I started calling every woman I know who went to school in the '50s. I started with my mom, then I called her friends, and then I called their friends and then I got a writers' room and they all called their moms and friends and grandmas.”
“We talked to a lot of women who grew up in the 1950s and were actually there. Women of the '50s were the women who were out there in the '60s breaking glass ceilings and boundaries."
Who’s in the cast of the Grease prequel?
The first look at the series unveils its main cast members who make up what must be the first ever Pink Ladies girl gang.
This includes Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy Nakagawa, Marisa Davila as Jane Facciano, Cheyenne Wells as Olivia Valdovinos, and Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia Zdunowski.
Kitted out in the iconic uniform - a pink jacket with the words "Pink Ladies" labeled across - the new generation of teenagers look back at the camera with a smirk, possibly hinting at the trouble they’re about to unleash at Rydell High.
When might Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies be coming out?
While no official release date has been confirmed yet, it’s believed that the series will drop in the first half of 2023.
The show will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.
