‘A Different World’ Teaser Confirms September Premiere of the Sequel Series!! Check It Out!!

The streaming era has opened up an entire world of possibilities for reboots and revivals of classic shows. Hulu has arguably been the most aggressive on this front, counting recent animated continuations of Futurama and King of the Hill among its catalog and preparing reboots of The X-Files under Sinners director Ryan Coogler and Prison Break under Mayans M.C. co-creator Elgin James. However, Netflix deserves its due in this rush for revivals, too. In July, the streamer will return to the 1800s American Midwest for its much-anticipated adaptation of Little House on the Prairie. Following that, it’ll be time to head back to Hillman College for the first time in 39 years.

At the American Black Film Festival on Friday, Netflix announced that its reboot of the classic sitcom A Different World will premiere on September 24, the exact same date the original Cosby Show spin-off premiered back in 1987. Consisting of ten episodes, the series will be a direct sequel to the NBC show, featuring a mix of returning stars and fresh faces playing the students of the historically black Hillman College. Among them is Maleah Joi Moon, who plays the big-hearted, free-spirited Deborah Wayne, daughter of Hillman royalty and sitcom icons Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison), both of whom are back to support her journey into higher education. She’s about to embark on the unforgettable ride of her life as part of a diverse new incoming class ready to make their mark at the HBCU.

Along with the date confirmation came a new teaser introducing Deborah, who is very much her father’s daughter. Donning a Hillman jacket, she hums a familiar tune as the camera pans around to show her wearing the same type of flip-up shades Dwayne Wayne made iconic. Don’t let the similar look fool you, though — the new A Different World will follow Deborah as she tries to step out of her parents’ long shadows, as difficult as that may be. It is, however, an indication of what Netflix has said is its “commitment to honoring the show’s legacy while reintroducing Hillman to a new generation.”

Who Else Is Involved in ‘A Different World’?

In addition to Guy and Hardison, the A Different World sequel series is also bringing back Cree Summer and Darryl M. Bell, who played Freddie Brooks and Dwayne Wayne’s best friend Ron Johnson in the original show, to star, alongside fellow returning favorites like Karen Malina White, Ajai Sanders, Dawnn Lewis, Glynn Turman, Charnele Brown, Jenifer Lewis, and Jada Pinkett Smith. Netflix also has a roster of young stars on top to play the many ambitious Hillman students in Deborah’s life, including Alijah Kai, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, Kennedi Reece, and Chibuikem Uche, among others. Adding to the familiar feel for the sitcom will be director and six-time Emmy winner Debbie Allen, who directed most of the original show and has since spent years aboard Grey’s Anatomy. She also executive produces with showrunner Felicia Pride and fellow A Different World alumni Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Tom Werner.