It’s been greater than 20 years — and one short-lived TV reboot — since Gossip Girl first launched us to the cutthroat social politics of the Higher East Facet. However we’re not achieved with the world of headbands and scheming on the Met steps but, as a result of creator Cecily von Ziegesar is reviving her most iconic character in a brand-new standalone novel. In case you guessed Blair, you’d be proper… which additionally occurs to be the title of the follow-up.
Deadline first revealed the information, noting that the brand new e book will choose up 20 years after the unique Gossip Lady collection. Yep, meaning Blair (like many people who had been obsessive about the books and TV present again within the early aughts) is now in her 40s.
A perimenopausal Queen B, maybe? We’d like to see it.
Not surprisingly, particulars are being saved tightly below wraps, however the premise alone seems like straight-up catnip for longtime followers. Right here’s what we do know, together with whether or not one other TV collection appears like an actual chance.
What do we all know concerning the e book to this point?
Our favourite former NYC socialite will return to the Large Apple along with her sights set on getting again on prime of the Higher East Facet meals chain, per Deadline’s sources.
As for a launch date, it appears like we’ll have to carry out till summer time 2027. The undertaking sparked a reasonably aggressive public sale, with Alloy Leisure promoting the e book rights to Grand Central Publishing in a serious deal. That is routine for Alloy — the corporate usually licenses solely the e book rights to publishers whereas retaining the remaining (extra on that in a minute).
The place did we go away Blair?
Let’s be actual: It’s been 20 years, and our reminiscence isn’t what it was. I do know for a reality I watched the unique TV collection *quite a few* instances, however I in all probability nonetheless couldn’t inform you precisely the place everybody ended up. So, time for slightly refresher!
Proper out the gate, you need to know that the e book and TV variations of Blair ended up in very completely different locations. Within the novels, Blair’s ultimate chapter got here in 2009’s I Will At all times Love You, the place she lastly (!) breaks free from her on-again-off-again relationship with Nate Archibald. After making peace with Serena, she decides to depart all of the Constance drama behind for good to begin contemporary in faculty.
Nope, no Chuck Bass endgame within the books.
On TV, although, Blair and Chuck had been the toast of all teen collection’ stans after they ended up married, with Blair operating Waldorf Designs and elevating their son.
So… what does a 40-something Blair Waldorf appear to be?
That is the place the guessing recreation begins. Relying on whether or not von Ziegesar leans extra into the e book canon or the TV canon, a contemporary Blair may go in so many instructions. Perhaps Blair’s vogue empire is struggling to adapt within the age of influencers and algorithms. Perhaps our headmistress of headbands realizes her thirst for hierarchy may be quenched by turning into an precise headmistress, and he or she returns to Constance to wield her energy as soon as once more.
Is she single? With Chuck? Does she have children? Regardless of the angle, a reformed-but-still-a-little-ruthless Blair navigating center age sounds type of good to me.
May Blair return to our screens?
God, we will positive hope so. Actually, I don’t see why it wouldn’t get a display adaptation. There’s no official phrase on that entrance but, however there are just a few causes it appears possible.
For starters, Alloy has retained the movie and TV rights, which they usually do with their book-to-screen hits. But in addition, Leighton Meester remains to be appearing and has stated earlier than she wouldn’t rule out returning to the character. During a 2022 interview, she delivered the tried-and-true “by no means say by no means” response when requested about slipping again into Blair’s designer sneakers.
Plus, she’s reunited with Kristen Bell (who voices the notorious Gossip Lady narrator) just a few instances through the years, most lately in Bell’s hit Netflix series Nobody Wants This.
And, in the end, we stay within the period of reboots and millennial nostalgia cash-ins. A status sequel following an older, sharper Blair Waldorf doesn’t really feel far-fetched in any respect.
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