(L to R) Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in ’10 Things I Hate About You’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.
Preview
- A new trilogy of movies spun off from ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ is planned.
- Director Gil Junger is behind the new development.
- The 1999 original starred Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger.
It might not have run with the popular crowd at the box office, but fizzy, witty comedy ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ certainly made an impact in the popular culture, riding a wave of Shakespeare-to-modern times adaptations (see also: ‘Clueless’) and helping to boost the careers of stars Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, who both brought considerable charisma to the roles of unlikely high school sweethearts.
There have been some minor developments since the original (more on that lower down the page), but if original director Gil Junger has his way, there could be much bigger ideas on the horizon. He’s working with original producer Andrew Lazar to develop a new movie called ’10 Things I Hate About Dating’ based on the original that could launch a potential trilogy.
Junger had this to say to People about the new film:
“‘ 10 Things I Hate About Dating’ is definitively in the works as a feature film. We’re developing it right now. We have some pretty good ideas.”
If all goes to plan, Junger, Junger — who is currently co-writing the script with Naya Elle James — plans to make it the first in a trilogy, with two more subsequent installments titled ‘10 Things I Hate About Marriage’ and ‘10 Things I Hate About Kids.’
There’s no specific word yet on how closely the movie would link to the original, but it appears Junger has plans for cast cameos from the first film:
“If it resonates with the original cast and I can have some cameos or even real parts, I’d love that. I’d love Larry Miller to come back because he’s so great.”
And while the original had Shakespearian DNA, the new movie is inspired by Molière’s 1666 play ‘The Misanthrope.’
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What’s the story of ‘ 10 Things I Hate About You?
Julia Stiles in ’10 Things I Hate About You’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.
The 1999 teen comedy, based on William Shakespeare’s spiky romantic comedy play ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ follows teen Kat Stratford (Stiles), a high-achieving, sharp-tongued loner who is constantly compared to her perky, popular younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) by their overprotective single dad, Walter (Miller).
But Kat’s world is soon turned upside down by Patrick Verona (Ledger), an edgy new student who changes her life.
Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith wrote the script, with plenty of nods to the Bard, and the cast also included Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Allison Janney, Andrew Keegan, Gabrielle Union, David Krumholtz and more, with Gordon-Levitt playing Cameron, who longs to date Bianca, but can’t get past the parental rule.
Until, that is, he hatches a plan with Patrick to sweep Kat off her feet –– no easy task.
While the movie, made for $30 million, only ended up with $53 million at the worldwide box office, it still sparked a healthy fanbase.
Here’s what Junger told People about appreciating the movie following a 25th anniversary screening:
“I thought, ‘God, I was so on my game.’ I remembered exactly where I was standing, what notes I gave there and what I did. And then I look out to the audience during my Q&A, and my 22-year-old and my 19-year-old were sitting in the front row with their dates. And they weren’t born when the movie came out. They weren’t even a thought.”
What else has spun off from ’10 Things I Hate About You’?
(L to R) Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in ’10 Things I Hate About You’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.
There have been follow-ups since the original movie. A ’10 Things’ TV series landed on ABC Family in 2009, featuring little of the original cast save Larry Miller, and seeing Kat and Bianca navigating other high school challenges. It only lasted one season.
Even now, as has been the case for a variety of movies, a Broadway musical is in development with musician Carly Rae Jepsen co-writing the score with Ethan Gruska, and filmmaker/ ‘Girls’ creator/star Lena Dunham working on the book with playwright Jessica Huang.
Jepson took to Instagram recently to enthuse about working on the stage show:
Junger himself has had sequel ideas before now, admitting that he offered Ledger a role in a follow-up he was developing shortly after the original movie called ‘10 Things I Hate About Me.’
He’s confident that any new movie would feature a nod to the star, who died in 2008 aged 28:
“I think that’s a beautiful idea, and the answer is now going to be yes. He deserves to be loved.”
When might we see the first new ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ movie?
There’s the rub right now –– since the movies are only in development, we’ll have to wait and see if it makes it to the greenlight stage.
But given rights holders Disney’s love for classic IP it can exploit (see: the TV version, the musical, etc.), we’d say this could be more than love’s labour’s lost.
Heath Ledger in ’10 Things I Hate About You’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.
Julia Stiles Movies and TV Shows:
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