Cruel Intentions
Updated: 12/11/2025, 1:33:14 PM Wikipedia source
Cruel Intentions is a 1999 American teen romantic drama film written and directed by Roger Kumble, and starring Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film, set in New York City among rich high schoolers, is a modern retelling of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. Initially a smaller-budget independent film, it was picked up by Columbia Pictures and widely released on March 5, 1999. Despite mixed critical reviews, the performances of Gellar, Philippe, and Witherspoon were praised and the film grossed $75.9 million worldwide. Since its release, the film has become regarded as a cult classic. Its box office success spawned a media franchise with a prequel in 2000 and a standalone sequel in 2004, as well as a jukebox musical in 2015 and a 2024 television series.
Infobox
Directed by
Roger Kumble
Screenplay by
Roger Kumble
Based on
Les Liaisons dangereusesby Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
Produced by
Neal H. Moritz
Starring
mw- Ryan Phillippe Sarah Michelle Gellar Reese Witherspoon Selma Blair
Cinematography
Theo van de Sande
Edited by
Jeff Freeman
Music by
Edward Shearmur
Productioncompanies
Columbia Pictures Original Film Newmarket Capital Group
Distributed by
Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date
March 5, 1999 (1999-03-05)
Running time
97 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$10.5 million
Box office
$75.9 million
Tables
· Reception › Awards and nominations
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
Award
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
Category
Favorite Supporting Actress – Drama/Romance
Nominee(s)
Reese Witherspoon
Result
Won
Csapnivalo Awards
Csapnivalo Awards
Award
Csapnivalo Awards
Category
Best Movie
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Teen Movie
Best Teen Movie
Award
Best Teen Movie
Category
Nominated
Best Movie Soundtrack
Best Movie Soundtrack
Award
Best Movie Soundtrack
Category
Nominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Award
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Category
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
Edward Shearmur
Nominee(s)
Won
Golden Trailer Awards
Golden Trailer Awards
Award
Golden Trailer Awards
Category
Trashiest Trailer
Nominee(s)
Won
MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
Award
MTV Movie Awards
Category
Best Male Performance
Nominee(s)
Ryan Phillippe
Result
Nominated
Best Female Performance
Best Female Performance
Award
Best Female Performance
Category
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Breakthrough Female Performance
Best Breakthrough Female Performance
Award
Best Breakthrough Female Performance
Category
Selma Blair
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Villain
Best Villain
Award
Best Villain
Category
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Kiss
Best Kiss
Award
Best Kiss
Category
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair
Nominee(s)
Won
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
Award
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
Category
Worst Remake
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Teen Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards
Award
Teen Choice Awards
Category
Choice Drama Movie
Nominee(s)
Won
Choice Movie Actor
Choice Movie Actor
Award
Choice Movie Actor
Category
Ryan Phillippe
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Choice Movie Actress
Choice Movie Actress
Award
Choice Movie Actress
Category
Reese Witherspoon
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Choice Movie Sleazebag
Choice Movie Sleazebag
Award
Choice Movie Sleazebag
Category
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Nominee(s)
Won
Ryan Phillippe
Ryan Phillippe
Award
Ryan Phillippe
Category
Nominated
Choice Movie Hissy Fit
Choice Movie Hissy Fit
Award
Choice Movie Hissy Fit
Category
Nominated
Choice Sexiest Love Scene
Choice Sexiest Love Scene
Award
Choice Sexiest Love Scene
Category
Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Choice Movie Soundtrack
Choice Movie Soundtrack
Award
Choice Movie Soundtrack
Category
Cruel Intentions
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Vega Digital Awards
Vega Digital Awards
Award
Vega Digital Awards
Category
Social Campaigns
Nominee(s)
Won
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Supporting Actress – Drama/Romance | Reese Witherspoon | Won |
| Csapnivalo Awards | Best Movie | Nominated | |
| Best Teen Movie | Nominated | ||
| Best Movie Soundtrack | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Leading Role | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | Edward Shearmur | Won | |
| Golden Trailer Awards | Trashiest Trailer | Won | |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Male Performance | Ryan Phillippe | Nominated |
| Best Female Performance | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Won | |
| Best Breakthrough Female Performance | Selma Blair | Nominated | |
| Best Villain | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Nominated | |
| Best Kiss | Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair | Won | |
| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Remake | Nominated | |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Drama Movie | Won | |
| Choice Movie Actor | Ryan Phillippe | Nominated | |
| Choice Movie Actress | Reese Witherspoon | Nominated | |
| Choice Movie Sleazebag | Sarah Michelle Gellar | Won | |
| Ryan Phillippe | Nominated | ||
| Choice Movie Hissy Fit | Nominated | ||
| Choice Sexiest Love Scene | Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon | Nominated | |
| Choice Movie Soundtrack | Cruel Intentions | Nominated | |
| Vega Digital Awards | Social Campaigns | Won | |
References
- Box Office Mojohttps://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=cruelintentions.htm
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/cult-cruel-intentions-debauched-teen-movie-seduced-generation/
- The Augusta Chroniclehttps://www.augustachronicle.com/story/entertainment/local/2019/04/19/cruel-intentions-is-cult-classic-now-made-for-stage/5394147007/
- E!https://www.eonline.com/news/1302951/how-ryan-phillippe-really-feels-about-his-kids-watching-cruel-intentions
- movie-locations.comhttp://www.movie-locations.com/movies/c/Cruel-Intentions.php
- The Indian Expresshttps://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/sarah-michelle-gellar-reveals-original-title-of-cruel-intentions-movie/
- "Cruel Intentions" Archived June 6, 2024, at the Wayback Machine. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 26, 2025.https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cruel_intentions
- "Cruel Intentions Reviews, Ratings, Credits" Archived December 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine. Metacritic. Retrieved Jhttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/cruel-intentions
- CinemaScorehttps://www.cinemascore.com/
- Taylor, Charles. (March 5, 1999). "Cruel Intentions" Archived November 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Salon.com. Retrhttp://www.salon.com/1999/03/05/reviewb_4/
- Holden, Stephen. (March 5, 1999). "'Cruel Intentions': Back to Their Old Tricks, but a Whole Lot Younger" Archived Junehttps://www.nytimes.com/library/film/030599cruel-film-review.html
- RogerEbert.comhttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/cruel-intentions-1999
- BuzzFeed Newshttps://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/shannonkeating/cruel-intentions-20th-anniversary-1999-sarah-michelle
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2000/film/news/blockbuster-entertainment-award-winners-1117781474/
- Golden Trailer Awardshttps://web.archive.org/web/20161104000017/http://www.goldentrailer.com/gta1-nominees/
- MTVhttps://web.archive.org/web/20011006012912/https://www.mtv.com/onair/ma01/pastwinners/2000.jhtml?PageName=pastwinners&Year=2000
- Hartford Couranthttps://www.courant.com/1999/08/12/funky-categories-set-teen-choice-awards-apart/
- Billboardhttps://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/1999-03-27
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2016/02/cruel-intentions-reboot-nbc-pilot-drama-1201695249/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2016/02/cruel-intentions-taylor-john-smith-star-samantha-logan-sarah-michelle-gellar-nbc-pilot-1201707460/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2016/02/sarah-michelle-gellar-cast-cruel-intentions-nbc-pilot-1201708911/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2016/03/cruel-intentions-kate-levering-cast-annette-nbc-pilot-reese-witherspoon-1201711979/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2016/10/cruel-intentions-dead-nbc-to-be-shopped-1201845779/
- Ellehttps://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/a37832946/cruel-intentions-reboot-tv-show-washington-dc/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2021/10/cruel-intentions-series-reboot-imdb-tv-1234848051/
- Dazedhttps://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/54374/1/cruel-intentions-is-set-to-be-rebooted-as-a-tv-series-set-in-washington-dc
- Cruel Intentionshttps://tvline.com/2023/04/04/cruel-intentions-tv-show-amazon-sarah-michelle-gellar-series-order/
- Broadway.comhttps://www.broadway.com/buzz/191229/cruel-intentions-musical-extends-off-broadway-run-for-third-final-time/
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2016/05/05/the-battle-of-the-blondes-and-the-brunettes/