'10 Things I Hate About You' director says sequel is 'definitively in works'

Los Angeles, May 7 (IANS) Gil Junger, who directed the 1999 classic romantic comedy film “10 Things I Hate About You,” starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles, has talked about the follow up trilogy.

In a recent sit-down with People, Junger said he is working on a follow-up trilogy with original “100 Things” producer Andrew Lazar. The first film is titled “10 Things I Hate About Dating,” and would be followed by “10 Things I Hate About Marriage” and “10 Things I Hate About Kids,” reports variety.com.

“’10 Things I Hate About Dating’ is definitively in the works as a feature film,” said Junger. “We’re developing it right now.”

Junger went on to say that he would “love” to work with Stiles again because her “10 Things” character, Kat Stratford, “really spoke to young women in a very powerful way.”

He also mentioned Larry Miller, who played Kat’s father, as a possible returning cast member, although he said he “hasn’t thought” too much about casting yet.

“If it resonates with (the original cast) and I can have some cameos or even real parts, I’d love (that),” Junger said.

The original “10 Things I Hate About You” chronicles the life of Stiles’ Kat Stratford, a witty but unpopular teen who lives in the shadow of her overachieving younger sister Bianca, played by Larisa Oleynik.

The film also stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The screenplay by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith is a modernization of William Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew, retold in a late-1990s American high school setting.

However, her lonely adolescence is remedied when she meets outcast bad boy Patrick Verona, played by the late Ledger, who died in 2008 at 28 years old.

Asked if he would use the films to in part honor Ledger’s life, Junger said, “I think that’s a beautiful idea, and the answer is now going to be yes. …He deserves to be loved.”

--IANS

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