The widely anticipated Gossip Girl reboot joins the list of delayed shows as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The series was scheduled to start filming in March, but production has been delayed to 2021, according to Entertainment Weekly.
The new Gossip Girl series will take place eight years after the original show and will follow a completely new cast of teenagers in New York. Emily Alyn Lind (Doctor Sleep), Whitney Peak (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Johnathan Fernandez (Lethal Weapon), Eli Brown (Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists), and Jason Gotay (Evita revival) make up the cast of private school teens. Kristen Bell (The Good Place) returns to narrate the reboot.
Fans may be waiting for a while, however, as the COVID-19 pandemic has virtually shut down all Hollywood production. It was meant to be released this upcoming fall, but according to PEOPLE, HBO Max chief content officer Kevin Reilly said, “They hadn’t even started production yet; they were in pre-production and ready to roll. Things that would have been really meaningful and high profile have gotten pushed back.”
The Gossip Girl reboot wasn’t the only project put on pause at HBO Max; a Friends reunion special and The Flight Attendant, starring Kaley Cuoco (Charmed) were also delayed. Despite the delays, HBO Max will launch on May 27th with new series including Love Life with Anna Kendrick, ballroom competition show Legendary, documentary On the Record, among other releases. The streaming service will cost viewers $14.99 per month and, in addition to new shows, HBO Max features the entire HBO catalog and adored Warner Media franchises such as Friends and The Big Bang Theory.