‘A Different World’ Sequel at Netflix Casts Six Series Regulars

Six more cast members have joined the pilot of Netflix’s sequel to “A Different World,” According to sources.

In addition to Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, Maleah Joi Moon as Deborah, Cornell Young as Shaquille, Alijah Kai Haggins as Rashida, and Kennedi McClure as Hazel, Chibuikem Uche has been cast as Kojo.

First rumored to be in development in August 2024, the pilot for the sequel to “A Different World” was revealed in March. According to reports at the time, the new series would follow the daughter of Whitley and Dwayne, two original series protagonists, and would return to Hillman College, a fictional historically Black university.

Felicia Pride is the project’s writer, showrunner, and executive producer. Executive producers include Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reggie Bythewood, Debbie Allen, Mandy Summers, and Tom Werner. Allen also produced and directed the majority of the original’s 144 episodes, while Werner produced the original program through The Carsey-Werner Company. She would also oversee the new pilot, according to sources.

Originally a spinoff of “The Cosby Show,” “A Different World” followed Lisa Bonet’s character Denise Huxtable as she attended Hillman. However, the focus changed to characters portrayed by Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Glynn Turman, Cory Tyler, Lou Myers, Darryl M. Bell, Cree Summer, and Charnele Brown after Bonet left the show after its first season.

For the majority of its existence, Netflix has avoided a conventional pilot process; in 2023, it announced its first pilot order. For their shows, the streamer has instead concentrated on script-to-series deals or straight-to-series orders. Although Netflix had previously stated that it would never run advertisements on the service, in November 2022 it started to offer an ad-supported plan.