Melrose Place sequel series happening with Heather Locklear, Daphne Zuniga and Laura Leighton returning... though one OG character may be killed off
Nearly 25 years after its iconic series finale, a Melrose Place sequel series is currently in development at CBS Studios.
Heather Locklear (Amanda Woodward), Daphne Zuniga (Jo Reynolds) and Laura Leighton (Sydney Andrews) are all expected to return, via Deadline.
The new series will hail from Insatiable creator Lauren Gussis, and will be set several years after the original series, which ran seven seasons on Fox from 1992 to 1999.
This series will pick up with a number of the original Melrose Place residents reuniting, 'when one of their dearest friends dies suddenly.'
The news comes just days after several of the original Melrose Place stars signed on for a reunion at 90sCon in Daytona Beach, Florida.
![Nearly 25 years after its iconic series finale, a Melrose Place sequel series is currently in development at CBS Studios.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/11/06/83495587-13295875-image-m-62_1712814208651.jpg)
Nearly 25 years after its iconic series finale, a Melrose Place sequel series is currently in development at CBS Studios.
![Nearly 25 years after its iconic series finale, a Melrose Place sequel series is currently in development at CBS Studios](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/11/06/83495547-13295875-image-a-64_1712814259055.jpg)
Nearly 25 years after its iconic series finale, a Melrose Place sequel series is currently in development at CBS Studios
![Daphne Zuniga is set to return as Jo Reynolds in a Melrose Place sequel series](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/11/06/83495543-13295875-image-m-67_1712814306364.jpg)
Daphne Zuniga is set to return as Jo Reynolds in a Melrose Place sequel series
![Laura Leighton will return as Sydney Andrews in a Melrose Place sequel series](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/11/06/83495545-13295875-image-a-68_1712814347554.jpg)
Laura Leighton will return as Sydney Andrews in a Melrose Place sequel series
It has yet to be confirmed if this 'dearest friend' was actually a character on the original show or not.
After they all gather to honor their friend, 'the pressure cooker of a reunion soon uncovers old traumas, rekindles old romances, reignites old resentments, and reveals new secrets.'
The original characters will be thrown, 'into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective.'
It also seems that this series will essentially ignore the 2009 reboot/sequel that aired for just one season on The CW.
Locklear and Leighton reprised their roles for that show, though Leighton's Sydney Andrews was killed off in the show's opening minutes.
Ironically, she was also killed in the original series, though the reboot show revealed her death had actually been faked.
The original series was a spin-off of Aaron Spelling's Beverly Hills 90210, created by Darren Star, though it's unknown if Star will have any involvement in this series.
The cast also included Thomas Calabro, Josie Bissett, Doug Savant, Grant Show, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Rob Estes, Brooke Langton, Lisa Rinna, Kristin Davis and Alyssa Milano.
Both Leighton and Zuniga will also serve as executive producers alongside Gussis, Tiffany Grant and Jason Weinberg.
CBS Studios - which owns the entire Aaron Spelling library - will produce the series and is currently shopping it to networks and streamers.
![The original characters will be thrown, 'into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/11/06/83495557-13295875-image-m-70_1712814403907.jpg)
The original characters will be thrown, 'into chaotic drama that’s reminiscent of the past, but with a much more modern perspective'
![Locklear and Leighton reprised their roles for that show, though Leighton's Sydney Andrews was killed off in the show's opening minutes](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/11/06/83495549-13295875-image-m-71_1712814424097.jpg)
Locklear and Leighton reprised their roles for that show, though Leighton's Sydney Andrews was killed off in the show's opening minutes
If the project does move forward, more original cast members are expected to come aboard.
CBS Studios had also rebooted Melrose Place's flagship series Beverly Hills 90210 twice before.
The first came in 2008 with the reboot simply titled 90210 that ran for five seasons on The CW.
Fox then aired a season of a reality/scripted hybrid series dubbed BH90210 which brought the original cast back.