Sequel to "10 Things I Hate About You" in the Works

One of the great teen classics of the 90s is to be continued with "10 Things I Hate About You". Director Gil Junger revealed this in an interview with the entertainment magazine People. But that's not all: A whole sequel trilogy is planned!

"10 Things I Hate About You" is considered a modern classic of the teen movie and has earned itself a firm place in pop culture. The loose adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" captivates with its humor, charismatic lead actors – especially Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles – and its iconic soundtrack. The film exemplifies an era of romantic high school comedies.

10 Things I Hate About Dating

Junger is currently working on a screenplay for a sequel entitled "10 Things I Hate About Dating". Once again, a classic work is set to be loosely adapted: "The Misanthrope" by Molière. The play dates back to the 17th century. This time, the film is not primarily aimed at teenagers, but at an older target group. However, the production has not yet been officially confirmed.

It is not yet certain whether some of the actors from "10 Things I Hate About You" will also appear in the new film – but Junger can definitely imagine it. In particular, he would like to see a main character from the original film return.

"I would love to work with Julia [Stiles] again. She shaped the lives of millions of women. That Kat character really spoke to young women in a very powerful way."

Other cameos would also be conceivable. So far, the development of the script has not progressed very far and Junger has not given much thought to the return of well-known characters. One actor will be missed: Heath Ledger passed away in 2008. Shortly before he had immortalized himself with his role as the Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight". However, Ledger is not to be forgotten in the new "10 Things" film.

Further sequels

The director is planning an entire sequel trilogy with"10 Things I Hate About Marriage" and "10 Things I Hate About Kids". Due to the early stage of development, it is still uncertain when the first sequel "10 Things I Hate About Dating" will reach us. Until then, you can also rewatch "10 Things I Hate About You": The film is currently available for streaming on Disney+.

Why is "10 Things I Hate About You" so special?

The plot

The plot of the movie begins with the Stratford sisters: the pretty but somewhat naive Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) and her older sister Kat (Julia Stiles), who is considered intelligent, sharp-tongued and not very interested in men. Their father only allows Bianca to date if Kat is also dating – a seemingly impossible undertaking.

New classmate Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is in love with Bianca, therefore hatches a plan with the help of self-absorbed Joey (Andrew Keegan): They pay the mysterious outsider Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to date Kat. What begins as a calculated intrigue soon develops into genuine affection – and causes plenty of chaos, misunderstandings, but also big emotions.

Iconic characters

Particularly noteworthy is Kat Stratford, who has established herself as one of the strongest female characters in the teen genre. Throughout the movie, Kat repeatedly goes against the superficial norms of her surroundings. Her sarcasm in particular made her an iconic film character. Heath Ledger's Patrick also made an impression – not least through his legendary singing of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You". Both characters are etched in the collective memory of an entire generation.

Themes of the movie

The film picks up on classic teen themes such as love, finding one's identity, individualism and peer pressure, but wraps them up with humor and irony. The focus is on the question of authenticity: who am I really – and who do I want to be in a world full of social expectations? The idea of romantic relationships is questioned and at the same time taken seriously in its complexity and emotionality.

Position in pop culture

Since its release, the film has become a cult classic and is considered one of the best teen movies. Most recently, the online portal Vanity Fair published a ranking of the best romantic comedies of all time – with "10 Things I Hate About You" in 6th place. The mixture of humor, charismatic actors and a modern approach to Shakespeare also makes it interesting for today's viewers. The film was a career breakthrough for many actors and had a significant influence on the teen genre of the following years.