Paramount+ makes formal series order for ‘Grease’ prequel

Grease

ViacomCBS streamer Paramount+ has handed a formal 10-episode order to Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies, the upcoming prequel series to the 1978 musical comedy feature film.

Annabel Oakes is creating and writing the previously announced series, which is produced by Paramount Television Studios. The show marks the first official scripted series order from president Nicole Clemens since she broadened her responsibilities last month to include president of Paramount+ original scripted series.

Set in the 1950s and four years before the original Grease, the series will follow four girls at Rydell High School as they attempt to carve their own path in life – and feature musical numbers from the period as well as original songs.

The original film starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as a pair of students at the same school who strike up an unlikely romance.

The prequel had been given a straight-to-series order by WarnerMedia’s HBO Max last year, under the title Rydell High, but was dropped by Casey Bloys after his appointment to become chief content officer.

Moving to Paramount+, the series joined a string of shows being produced for the sibling streamer that use its parent studio’s existing IP for inspiration, from The Italian Job to Star Trek.