The CW has unveiled plans to move forward with a Sex and the City prequel spin-off titled The Carrie Diaries, with Soul Surfer alum AnnaSophia Robb attached to star as Carrie Bradshaw. The series is based on Candace Bushnell’s best known book collection of the same name and promises to chart the early life of the renowned writer as she negotiates friendships, crushes, and growing pains. Set in a small town during the 1980s, the story follows a young Carrie Bradshaw as she navigates relationships while coming of age, and the show signals a dual focus on the worlds of high school life and Manhattan’s glittering possibilities. The timeline would eventually lead to the New York City Carrie fans know, even though the canonical arc places her move to the city in her twenties. This clash between familiar canon and a fresh coming of age lens has fueled lively chatter about how the timeline will be reconciled on screen. The CW described the project as a chance to explore fashion, friendship, and ambition through the eyes of a girl who would become a cultural icon, an approach that aims to bridge nostalgia with today’s audience.
AnnaSophia Robb’s casting brings a mix of innocence, grit, and screen presence to the role. Best known for Soul Surfer, she has the quiet confidence to anchor a story about a teen who expects big things from life. In addition to this television project, Robb was tapped to play Wendy in Pan, the live action take on Peter Pan released in 2015. That production showcased her ability to inhabit a character who exists between innocence and adventure, a trait that many hope will translate into Carrie’s early adventures as she dreams about fashion, writing, and life beyond the small town. Robb’s work across these roles has positioned her as a bridge between classic, beloved storytelling and modern audiences, making her a natural fit for the Carrie Bradshaw portrait in this vibe heavy period piece.
Beyond the casting and the era defined setting, The Carrie Diaries represents a broader trend in television of revisiting beloved franchises through prequels that center on a formative version of their most iconic characters. The premise invites viewers to experience a formative blend of teenage turmoil, family dynamics, and the lure of the big city, all filtered through the style and sensibility that made Sex and the City famous. The source material from Candace Bushnell remains a touchstone for fans who know Carrie as an adult, and the show’s ultimate success would hinge on balancing faithfulness to that voice with the energy of a fresh coming of age narrative. In the end, the project stands as a bold attempt to reintroduce a familiar heroine to a new generation while honoring the world that made her famous.