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Grease prequel: Everything we know about Rise of the Pink Ladies

All you need to know about its release date, trailer, cast and more

Madison Thompson as Susan, Charlotte Kavanagh as Rosemary, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia Zdunowski, Cheyenne Wells as Olivia Valdovinos, Josette Halpert as Dot, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy Nakagawa, Kallie Hu as Peg and Marisa Davila as Jane Facciano in Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
Madison Thompson as Susan, Charlotte Kavanagh as Rosemary, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia Zdunowski, Cheyenne Wells as Olivia Valdovinos, Josette Halpert as Dot, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy Nakagawa, Kallie Hu as Peg and Marisa Davila as Jane Facciano in Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel/Paramount+)

Nostalgia classic Grease is getting a prequel musical TV series, and there isn't long to wait until you can watch it here in the UK.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies will be set at Rydell High in 1954, four years before the events of the film that starred Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.

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The series is set to air on the streaming service Paramount+ and will be available to UK subscribers from this Friday, 7 April, the day after it premieres in the US.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies begins streaming in April. (Paramount+)
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies begins streaming in April. (Paramount+)

Who will star in Rise of the Pink Ladies?

This hotly-tipped Grease prequel series will star Marisa Davila as Jane, Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy, Shanel Bailey as Hazel, Madison Thompson as Susan, Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally, and Jackie Hoffman as assistant principal McGee.

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Meanwhile, the series will also feature a host of newcomers including Charlotte Kavanagh as Rosemary, Victor Lau as Floyd, Josette Halpert as Dot, Kallie Hu starring as Peg, Matt Kennedy as Orson and Nicholas McDonough as Gil.

As mentioned above, the musical series takes place a number of years before the events of the original Grease movie, which was released in cinemas in 1978 but was set in 1958.

What is the plot of Rise of the Pink Ladies?

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies centres on the rise of the Pink Ladies, the female rivals to the all-male T Birds which featured heavily in the original movie and consisted of Rizzo (Stockard Channing), Jan (Jamie Donnelly), Marty (Dinah Manoff), Frenchy (Didi Conn) and later, Sandy, played by Newton-John.

The prequel series takes place in 1954 — before rock ‘n’ roll ruled, before the T-Birds were the coolest gang in school and back when four fed-up outcasts dared to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that changed Rydell High forever.

Throughout 10 episodes, we'll find out how these teens from the fringes rose up to become Rydell High's first all-singing, all-dancing clique and the key moments that inspired their creation.

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in the 1978 film Grease. (Paramount+)
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta in the 1978 film Grease. (Paramount+)

Is there a trailer for Rise of the Pink ladies?

Yes! A newly released trailer shows some classic movie moments recreated as the four friends walk the corridors of Rydell High in their iconic Pink Ladies jackets, and the T-Birds are briefly shown in their boiler suits dancing in the motor workshop.

The trailer also shows scenes from big group songs and dances that will be included in the musical series. Watch it below:

Grease also got a sequel movie in 1982, Grease 2, which starred Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield.

The prequel was originally announced by Paramount as being in development in 2019 and was first called Summer Lovin' but has now been retitled Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is available to watch on Paramount+ from 7 April.