Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl Is Returning To The Small Screen

—XOXO

GOSSIP GIRL REBOOT

by Bonnie McLaren |
Published on

A brand new spin-off of Gossip Girl is set to hit screens - eight years after the adventures of Serena van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf, Chuck Bass and Nate Archibald.

According to Deadline, the show’s original creative team – Joshua Safran, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage – will collaborate again for a spinoff based on The CW’s hit series. However, so far, no release date or castings have been revealed.

The latest version is set to feature 10 hour-long episodes, which will be able to stream on Warner Media’s upcoming streaming site HBO Max.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Safran revealed that the show will introduce a new generation of New York private school teens to the Gossip Girl site.

Safran told the publication, ‘The prestige series will address just how much social media – and the landscape of New York itself – has changed in the intervening years.’

The original series - based on Cecily von Ziegesar’s highly popular young adult novel = ran on The CW for six seasons from 2007 to 2012, starring Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgely, Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford. It’s also unclear if Kristen Bell will return to voice the Gossip Girl narrator.

HBO Max will also be the home of series including Friends, The Sopranos and Big Little Lies and is due to launch in early 2020.

Gallery

Gossip Girl Cast: 45 Things You Didn't Know About Serena And Blair

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1. Gossip Girl was originally planned as a one-off feature film...

With Lindsay Lohan lined up to play Blair Waldorf. Seriously.

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2. When the film fell through, the network was keen to cast Ashley Olsen as Blair and Rumer Willis as Serena in the TV version...

In fact, even Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for a role - that of Serena - how weird would that have been?Eventually, they went with the (then) lesser known actresses Leighton Meester and Blake Lively, because they 'captured the essence' of the stories.

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CREDIT: Rex Features

3. Ed Westwick (Chuck Bass) originally auditioned to play Nate Archibald...

But the producers decided he 'looked more like a serial killer than a romantic lead.' Ouch.

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4. After landing the role of Chuck Bass, he modelled his American accent on The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air's Carlton Banks...

Ed is actually from Hitchen, just outside of London.

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5. Leighton Meester had to dye her hair brown just to audition for the role of Blair...

The producers didn't want two blondes in the lead roles, so according to producer Josh Schwartz, Leighton 'did a sink-rinse dye job to audition as a brunette.' Talk about commitment. We actually think it suits her better, too.

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6. The role of villainess Georgina Sparks was originally offered to Mischa Barton...

Who's best known for playing Marissa in The OC. Personally, we can't see it.

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7. Taylor Momsen had her first major film role aged 7...

She starred as Cindy Lou in The Grinch, opposite Jim Carrey.

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8. Taylor also auditioned to play Hannah Montana...

She was beaten to the role by a certain Miley Cyrus.

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9. Aged 8, Taylor wrote a song called 'Blackout'...

It was later recorded and released by Heidi Montag, of The Hills fame.

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10. She's not the only musical cast member - her on-screen brother Penn Badgley recorded a pop song aged 12.

Much to our disappointment, it was never released.

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11. Ed Westwick also fronted indie rock band The Filthy Youth...

Two of his songs were featured in the season one episode, 'School Lies.'

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12. Blake Lively and Penn Badgley were friends before the show started...

They were home-schooled together as 11-year-olds. It's a small world, hey?

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13. Blair's classic look was modelled on Audrey Hepburn...

While Serena's wardrobe was based on Kate Moss and Sienna Miller's more bohemian style.

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14. A spin-off series, set in the '80s and focusing on Serena's mother Lily and her sister Carol, was originally planned...

With Brittany Snow starring as Lily and Krysten Ritter as Carol.

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It was never picked up by the network, but aired as part of the season two episode 'Valley Girls'...

Had it gone ahead, it would have featured younger versions of characters from The OC, too.

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16. A spin-off show with Jenny Humphrey as the main character was also planned...

It was never picked up, and Jenny only had a handful of appearances after season four, as Taylor chose to focus on her musical career with The Pretty Reckless.

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17. Gossip Girl was voiced by Kristen Bell...

Who went on to provide the voice for Anna in Disney's hit Frozen.

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18. Kristen finally appears on screen in the last episode, alongside The OC's Rachel Bilson...

The two actresses appear to be auditioning for a film adaptation of Dan's novel. So meta.

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19. Jessica Szohr's cameo in season six was shot on the set of The Carrie Diaries, the '80s SATC spin-off...

So Vanessa actually appears in Carrie Bradshaw's '80s kitchen.

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20. The van der Woodsen family live in an apartment in the Milan Condominium Building, at 300 East 55th Street...

This is a real building - where a three bedroom penthouse apartment recently sold for around $7 million.

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21. Penn Badgley was genuinely named after Penn, the tennis ball company...

Better than being named after an actual pen, we guess.

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22. He was about to give up on acting when he was finally offered the role of Dan Humphrey...

He turned down the role twice, and had to be convinced into taking it by producer Stephanie Savage.

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23. Serena, Blair and Dan are the only characters to appear in every single episode of the show...

All 121 of 'em.

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24. The title of every episode is based around a reference to a film, book or TV show...

So, Desperately Seeking Susan becomes Desperately Seeking Serena, John Tucker Must Die (which, coincidentally, starred Penn Badgley) becomes Blair Waldorf Must Pie and The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton's classic novel of Gilded Age New York society, appropriately becomes The Age of Dissonance.

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25. Leighton Meester dated Sebastian Stan, who played frat boy irritant Carter Baizen, from 2007 to 2010...

He's now best known for playing the Winter Soldier in Marvel's Captain America film franchise.

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26. Leighton's now married to Adam Brody, aka Seth Cohen from The OC...

It's the ultimate teen drama crossover.

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27. Blake Lively and Penn Badgley were together off-screen from 2007 to 2010, too...

Blake is now married to actor Ryan Reynolds, and they've have two daughters Irnes and James.

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28. Ed Westwick and Jessica Szohr (who played Vanessa) were also in an on-off relationship throughout the show...

They've since broken up, too. Why are there no Gossip Girl success stories?

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29. The US Parents Television Council described the show as 'mind-blowingly inappropriate' and 'every parent's worst nightmare'...

These quotes ended up in pride of place on promotional posters for Gossip Girl season two.

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30. Costume designer Eric Daman worked on Sex and the City before dressing the Upper East Side's teen elite...

He won an Emmy for his work on SATC, too.

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31. In 2012, January 26th was named 'Gossip Girl Day'...

Michael Bloomberg, then the Mayor of New York, visited the set for the 100th episode, and commended the show for presenting the city in such a positive light.

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32. It cost between $10,000 and $60,000 per day to film on location in New York...

Yes, that's per day.

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33. The Empire Hotel - the aptly-named first addition to Chuck's property empire - is a real New York hotel...

You can head to the bar and order GG themed cocktails.

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CREDIT: Instagram @eugegarcialopez

34. In New York? You can go on a Gossip Girl location tour...

Taking in Henri Bendels, Grand Central Station (aka, the location of that opening shot of Serena) and the steps of the Met, of course.

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35. The author of the Gossip Girl book series, Cecily von Ziegesar, approved of the on-screen versions of all of her characters - except for Vanessa...

In her novels, Vanessa only wears black and is completely bald.

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36. Cecily has a cameo appearance in the final episode of season four, titled 'The Wrong Goodbye'...

She plays a guest at a Constance Billard mixer event.

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37. Other memorable cameos include Alexa Chung, Cyndi Lauper, Lady Gaga and Karlie Kloss...

Oh, and Liz Hurley pops up, too.

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CREDIT: Instagram @gossipgirlnyc

38. Blake Lively was fitted for Serena's wedding dress the day after her real life wedding to Ryan Reynolds...

Talk about life imitating art. Her white and gold dress is by Georges Chakra Couture.

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39. Blair wears princessy Vera Wang for her first wedding, and pale blue Elie Saab for her second...

Naturally, she wears a headband for both.

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40. Jennifer Behr, the designer behind many of B's iconic headbands, released a gift set of nine replica styles in 2012...

It would have set you back a cool $4,000.

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41. The front of the Museum of New York City was used as the entrance to Constance Billard School...

It's found at 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street.

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42. Blair's full name is Blair Cornelia Waldorf...

Serena's is Serena Celia van der Woodsen (the 'Celia' is after her grandma, CeCe).

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43. Jack Bass and Georgina Sparks were kept apart by scheduling problems...

The writing team were always keen for the pair to have a storyline, but only managed to make it work in the final episode due to actor Desmond Harrington's commitment to Dexter.

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CREDIT: Instagram @gossip_girl_central

44. Henry Bass was child actor Alex Bento's first ever TV role...

He now has a recurring part on HBO drama Vinyl.

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45. The writers and producers of the show always knew that Blair and Chuck would end up together...

Because 'I'm Chuck Bass' is a legitimate answer to anything.

READ MORE: 45 Things You Didn't Know About The Gossip Girl Cast

READ MORE: Gossip Girl: This Is What Your Favourite Upper East Siders Look Like No

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