10 Things I Hate About You has been remembered as one of the most beloved rom-coms of the 1990s, but not everyone will be aware that it had a sequel that was canceled mid-production. The original movie struck a chord with audiences as it cleverly adapted Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in a way that resonated with teen viewers.

With standout performances from Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this smart rom-com explored the trials and tribulations of high school dating while also addressing individuality, societal expectations, and gender roles. Having gained such a great reputation, it’s no surprise that filmmakers opted to try to make a 10 Things I Hate About You sequel.

What 10 Things I Hate About Life Was Supposed To Be About

The original 10 Things I Hate About You director Gil Junger had plans to make a sequel to his beloved rom-com in 2012, тιтled 10 Things I Hate About Life. While it’s not clear if this was intended to continue adapting Shakespeare plays for the modern age, some connections can be made to the tragedy of Romeo & Juliet.

10 Things I Hate About Life would have followed Willow and Ben, two people determined in their own lives, who meet each other while staging their deaths by a scenic cliff. With a dark premise, the pair decide to postpone their suicide plans as they gradually fall for one another and discover a reason to live.

Without any returning actors, 10 Things I Hate About Life was envisioned as more of a spiritual sequel to what came before, as it would also follow a rom-com format and explore similar themes. With the untimely pᴀssing of Heath Ledger in 2008, any plans to see the return of his Australian bad boy, Patrick Verona, would have been impossible.

How Far 10 Things I Hate About Life Got Into Production & Why It Stopped

While most unmade sequels never progress past the scripting stage, 10 Things I Hate About Life actually began filming with Evan Rachel Wood as Willow and Thomas McDonell as Ben in 2012. The movie had already entered production, yet a myriad of management issues and behind-the-scenes problems meant it was halted.

Filming on 10 Things I Hate About Life began in December 2012, but after just two months, it was interrupted (via ᴅᴇᴀᴅline) due to management changes at Intandem Films as well as Wood’s pregnancy. There were plans to resume filming throughout 2013 and 2014; however, these were also canceled when Wood dropped out of the production.

Wood’s exit from 10 Things I Hate About Life has been incredibly contentious, as her lawyers claim she was never properly paid by the company, while the producers claim she had breached her contract. This actually led to a $30 million lawsuit against Wood (via Variety) that has kept the film wrapped up in legal issues ever since.

While some production stills from approximately 30 minutes of completed footage have been released, it has been so many years since the film was initially planned that it’s unlikely to be completed. This has left 10 Things I Hate About Life as a great Hollywood what-if, with audiences wondering if it could have ever lived up to the original.

It’s Better That 10 Things I Hate About Life Never Happened

The truth is, it’s probably for the best that 10 Things I Hate About Life was never finished, since without the original cast, it would have felt like a sequel in name only. Its premise wasn’t nearly as strong as the original, nor did it share the same compelling connection to Shakespeare’s work.

The few production stills that have been released don’t inspire much hope, and had the movie been released, its legacy would have likely been less like Before Sunrise and more like Mean Girls 2. 10 Things I Hate About Life overall felt more like an excuse to cash in on a known property than a truly essential film.

Another 10 Things I Hate About You Follow-Up May Still Happen

While 10 Things I Hate About Life fell apart and its legal troubles have yet to subside, this has not stopped director Gil Junger from coming up with new ideas for sequels. In 2025, Junger stated (via People) that he and the original producer, Andrew Lazar, had a new idea for a sequel тιтled 10 Things I Hate About Dating.

This sequel would echo 10 Things I Hate About You’s Shakespeare connection, but instead adapt Molière’s 17th-century play The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover. Not only this, but Junger has envisioned it as the first in a new trilogy with later installments тιтled 10 Things I Hate About Marriage and 10 Things I Hate About Kids.

Junger even said he’s likely to find a way to pay tribute to Ledger in the films in some way and reference his character with a nod or homage. While this sounds like exciting news for 10 Things I Hate About You fans, if the past is anything to go by, we shouldn’t hold our breath until filming has been completed.