Fans of the iconic ABC Family/Freeform series Pretty Little Liars are in for a treat (or maybe it’s a trick?) this summer. A is returning to screens with the HBO Max series Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, set to start streaming on July 28. The series is following a new set of teens in the same universe as the original show, but in a new town, dealing with all new secrets.
The new liars are Bailee Madison (Good Witch, A Week Away) as Imogen, Chandler Kinney (Lethal Weapon) as Tabby, Maia Reficco (Kally’s Mashup) as Noa, Malia Pyles (Batwoman) as Minnie, Zaria (Black-ish) as Faran, and Mallory Bechtel (Hereditary) as Karen.
The new group isn’t just dealing with their own secrets; they’re dealing with ones their parents made 20 years ago. What secrets could be lurking in their town of Millwood? With a teen mom, a film enthusiast, a runner that spent the summer in a juvenile detention center, a bully, a ballerina, and a girl that prefers to live in the virtual world, the possibilities of secrets are endless. The series is leaning more into the horror and mystery elements than the original did, meaning it may not just be creepy dolls and texts plaguing the teens this time.
HBO Max released a teaser trailer on June 15, along with a new look to the show’s social media pages. Only a minute long, it’s packed with information that hints at what’s in store for the characters come July.
The Photos
HBO Max
Over the course of the teaser, viewers watch as the new A mutilate photos of the liars. Imogen’s is a Polaroid, maybe from before she was pregnant, sliced in half. Some film negatives of Tabby, likely chosen because of her love of the industry, are placed into a bucket that could be a bleach bath, melting them. Minnie’s photo is on a missing poster, hinting at where her storyline may lead.
The text on the poster is in the first person, saying she’s lost, and asks people to help find her. A puts the poster through a paper shredder. Faran, the ballerina, has a school portrait above A’s desk. The new A stabs the photo through the eyes with a nail, toe shoes dangling from it. Noa’s police report is burned, potentially hinting at what she went to juvie for. Could the photos hint at past and future storylines and what fates await the liars?
The Items
As the teaser opens, the new A is holding a teddy bear. The bear has seen better days, its nose pretty dirty and the ribbon around its neck untied. Does the bear belong to someone from 20 years ago, or is it A’s? There’s also a music box filled with strands of pearls and other necklaces, in addition to some other odd items. A ticket stub is in the top right corner, but it isn’t clear what it’s a ticket to.
A photo of Imogen and her mom is in the top left, with an upside-down Polaroid underneath it. There’s something wrong with it like it didn’t develop correctly. A broken doll is in the bottom of the box. There’s also the glaringly obvious note that reads, “You’re a bad mother.” Who it’s addressed to is uncertain, but it is clear in its meaning.
As Imogen’s slashed photo falls, it lands near a crown and a book inside the music box. Could the crown hint at what happened all those years before? Maybe something with a pageant winner or prom queen. The book with a pink cover may be someone’s diary from the time. Is that how the new A knows what happened? The handwritten note beside the crown is upside down in the teaser, but when turned in the right direction, it mentions an “Angela” and someone that goes by “he/him” pronouns.
But, who is Angela? An Instagram post from showrunner, writer, and producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa told some of her story and confirmed the show had finished filming. Angela and her mother, Rose, lived in a house in Millwood until something happened to Angela. Her peers, as part of the class of 1999, say they don’t know what happened, but someone always knows. Could the crown and book belong to her? Is the music box her’s? Who wrote the note discussing her? The subtle mention, combined with the Instagram post, confirms what secret the teens will be tasked with unmasking.
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A post shared by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (@writerras)
The final item of note, shown on top of the book, is a pendant with the letter “D” on it. Who is D? Certainly not Angela, her mother, or any of the liars we know. But, it does match the name of one of the liar’s mothers. Imogen’s mother, Davie (Carly Pope, Ava DeMary). Could her mother have had something to do with what happened to Angela? Is the music box Davie’s? But, if it is, why would she have a note about being a bad mother? Was it sent to her by A?
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A post shared by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (@writerras)
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The teaser gives excited fans a hint at what’s to come and also clues them into what the plot will be if they know how to connect the dots. Will the liars find out what happened to Angela? We’ll know once their journey begins on July 28. Until then, you can watch the original series on HBO Max and see what the original liars had to say to the next generation.
