'Pretty Little Liars The Perfectionists': Release date, plot, cast, trailer, news and everything else about spin-off of hit show

When 'Pretty Little Liars' wrapped up in 2017, fans of the show suffered an existential crisis. Months later, a spin-off was announced and sent anticipation soaring as fans kept a close eye on every little news about 'Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists.' Based out of the novel of the same name, the new series is coming to screen from the 'Pretty Little Liars' showrunner I. Marlene King. Here's everything you need to know. 

Release date

The series premieres on Freeform on March 20.

Plot

The show is going to be a mystery thriller. The storyline is based on the book written by Sara Shepard, the author of 'Pretty Little Liars' series. The official synopsis reads: "Everything about the town of Beacon Heights seems perfect, from their top-tier college to their overachieving residents. But nothing in Beacon Heights is as it appears to be. The stress of needing to be perfect leads to the town’s first murder. Behind every Perfectionist is a secret, a lie and a needed alibi."

Return of the two cast faves — with Sasha Pieterse playing Alison DiLaurentis again and Janel Parrish reprising the role of Monda Vanderwaal — is perhaps the only string that ties the two stories together. In an interview with E!, Sasha said the reboot has "nothing to do with PLL."

"They’re just kind of putting my character into it," she said, adding that it is "still a murder mystery," with a "really interesting plotline."

Since the show is based on a 2014 book, here's a brief plotline: The stories follow the lives of Ava, Caitlin, Mackenzie, Julie and Parker who believe they have absolutely nothing in common until they discover that they all hate the same guy, Nolan Hotchkiss, who's betrayed each of them. They jokingly plan to kill him but, when he turns up dead and murdered in the same way they had described earlier, they all become prime suspects.

Cast

As mentioned above, Sasha Pieterse and Janel Parrish are reprising their roles. 'Descendants' star Sofia Carson will join them with the leading role of Ava, a blogger and coder who strives to be a fashion icon. 

'Gossip Girl' star Kelly Rutherford will play Claire Hotchkiss, an equally fierce matriarch as Lily van der Woodsen. Former Nickelodeon star Sydney Park will be playing the role of Caitlin who is described as smart and driven. Newcomer Eli Brown is also joining the cast as Dylan, a talented cellist who’s "deeply committed to his two passions, his music and his boyfriend Andrew."

Director/Writer

'The Perfectionists' comes from the creator of 'Pretty Little Liars' I. Marlene King. As mentioned earlier, the show is based on Sara Shepard's novel series. King is also the writer of 1995 film 'Now and Then,' and she's worked on about five TV shows for Freeform. It is also rumored that King will adapt Danielle Vega's horror novel 'The Merciless' as a feature film very soon.

Trailer

The trailer has established that Beacon Heights is a much darker place than Rosewood as we see a mysterious murder and a lot of new liars. Alison DiLaurentis is greeted by her former frenemy Mona Vanderwaal in her new house with a pie and a knife. The town thrives under pressure and that's what leads to its eventual downfall. "Welcome to Beacon Heights University, where excellence is not an option, it's a requirement," the trailer opens.

The two-minute-long trailer features glam and a steamy makeout sesh in the backdrop of a murder where everyone is a suspect. It even poses an important question: "Is it okay to murder a murderer?"

First look

Thanks to active Instagram page of 'Pretty Little Liars', here are few stills from the show.

Where to watch

Same network as 'Pretty Little Liars', Freeform. 

Season recap

The show will not be connected to 'Pretty Little Liars' so a recap isn't necessary and you don't need to watch 'PLL' (if you haven't) to watch 'The Perfectionists.' However, it has been rumored that King has incorporated the story into the 'PLL' universe and a few familiar characters may pop up. 

The question as to why Alison has moved away from Emily and her daughters, who were happily living together when 'Pretty Little Liars' ended, will be answered in the new show.

If you like murder mysteries, you'll love these:

'Pretty Little Liars, 'Gossip Girl,' 'Ravenswood,' '13 Reasons Why,' 'Big Little Lies'.