As far as iconic Australian dramas go, Heartbreak High is one for the history books. The hugely popular ’90s teen series was widely praised for its honesty, tackling storylines that involved sex, domestic violence, teen pregnancy and racism. Now the Aussie classic is getting the modern TV treatment, with Netflix announcing it will be rebooting the series in 2022.
The streaming service said the Heartbreak High reboot will be “inspired by” the original series “but totally reimagined for a new generation.”
Below, everything we know about the upcoming project.
What Was Heartbreak High About?
The series originally premiered in 1994, and since it launched on Netflix in November 2020, the original series has been among the top 25 most popular shows in the Netherlands and top 10 in Siberia, per The Guardian.
Set in Sydney at the fictional Hartley High, Heartbreak High was Australia’s answer to Degrassi and Dawson’s Creek, high-school based dramas known for their grit and bold tackling of the teenage experience. The original series was widely praised internationally for its fearlessness in exploring storylines for teenagers that included sex, racism, politics, body image and more.
The original series aired for seven seasons and launched the careers of some of Australia’s biggest names, including Callan Mulvey, Ada Nicodemou and Lara Cox.
What Will The Reboot Be About?
Speaking to The Guardian, Netflix’s director of originals in Australia, Que Minh Luu, shared hopes the new series will tell the story of Australian teens today. “We really haven’t had something as gritty and adult for a teen show like that since. There just hasn’t really been a space for it,” Luu said.
While the series will be inspired by its predecessor, it’s not going to be a “facsimile of the original,” Luu told The Sydney Morning Herald. “We want to give this new generation their own version. Australian teens haven’t had their stories told in this way for a long time.”
According to Luu, the reboot will take into account the new stresses faced by teens in Australia today—hoping to touch on everything from the global pandemic, bushfires, economic insecurity and the climate crisis.
“We’ve only just started,” she explained. “But what I will say is that there is a recognition that this generation of young person is more active and socially conscious about those sorts of issues. And we would, of course, want to reflect that.”
Who Has Been Cast In The Heartbreak High Reboot?
Casting has yet to begin on the eight-episode original series, and it’s unclear if any of the original cast will reprise their roles.
When Will The Heartbreak High Reboot Air?
Netflix has announced the Heartbreak High reboot will be launched globally on Netflix as a Netflix Original series in 2022.
