Get ready for a return to Hillman College—Netflix has officially ordered a pilot for the highly anticipated sequel to the iconic Black college sitcom, A Different World.
According to Variety, the streaming giant has committed to producing the pilot episode this summer, marking one of the rare instances Netflix has approved a traditional pilot. The goal, sources say, is to test the tone of the series and gauge the chemistry of its ensemble cast. Casting decisions are still in progress, and no actors have been locked in as of yet.
The sequel was first rumored to be in development in August 2024, sparking excitement among fans of the original show, which aired from 1987 to 1993 and became a cultural touchstone for its portrayal of life at a historically Black college.
The new series will once again be set at the fictional Hillman College and will center on the daughter of beloved original characters Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne—originally played by Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. The show aims to capture the spirit of the original while reflecting the current cultural and social dynamics of Gen Z college life.
Leading the creative team is writer, executive producer, and showrunner Felicia Pride, whose credits include Queen Sugar and Grey’s Anatomy. She is joined by an all-star lineup of executive producers including Debbie Allen, who directed and produced much of the original series, along with Mandy Summers, Tom Werner, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Reggie Bythewood. Allen is also expected to return as director for the new pilot, according to sources close to the production.
Notably, Netflix’s decision to order a pilot represents a strategic departure from the platform’s usual practice of bypassing pilots in favor of direct-to-series orders. However, this move reflects the importance of getting the revival right, especially given the original show’s lasting legacy.
A Different World is widely praised for being one of the first television shows to showcase the HBCU experience and address issues such as race, class, gender, and politics from a Black perspective with humor and heart. The sequel will have big shoes to fill—but with this powerhouse team behind it, fans are hopeful that a new generation of Hillman students will do just that.
More details—including casting announcements—are expected in the coming months as production gears up for its summer shoot.