Cruel Intentions

Cruel Intentions is a 1999 American teen romantic drama film written and directed by Roger Kumble, and starring Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film, set in New York City among rich high schoolers, is a modern retelling of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. Initially a smaller-budget independent film, it was picked up by Columbia Pictures and widely released on March 5, 1999. Despite mixed critical reviews, the performances of Gellar, Phillippe, and Witherspoon were praised and the film grossed $76 million worldwide. Since its release, the film has become regarded as a cult classic. Its box office success spawned a media franchise with a prequel in 2000 and a standalone sequel in 2004, as well as a jukebox musical in 2015 and a 2024 television series.