A new teaser trailer has been released for That ’90s Show, and in honor of the occasion, the producers are revealing how the spinoff was developed. For those who remember, That ’90s Show is not the first spinoff to That ’70s Show, as there was an ill-fated series called That ’80s Show that quickly came and went in 2002. That may have played a part in creators Bonnie and Terry Turner feeling leery about rebooting That ’70s Show when Netflix first approached the two about doing the spinoff set in the 1990s.

Speaking with Variety, Terry Turner says that they said no multiple times to the pitch prior to the pandemic, but their feelings would start to evolve on the possibility after spending a lot of time at home mulling it over. Netflix also managed to get The Carsey-Werner Company’s Tom Werner on board as well, who joined the streamer in trying to get the Turners to sign off. At some point, the Turners acquiesced, but getting the right idea for That ’90s Show took some time. The first concept they came up with was for Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp) to be greeted by a surprise grandchild, but they were sent back to the drawing board by Netflix. As Terry Turner explains:

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Netflix wanted some retooling done to the concept by remarking that “audiences just don’t warm up” to the surprise love child. For some creative help, the Turners then recruited That ’70s Show writer Gregg Mettler to come on board as showrunner and help figure out the story. Along with the Turners’ daughter, Lindsey Turner, the group formulated a story that would see Eric and Donna’s (Laura Prepon) daughter come stay with her grandparents in Wisconsin for the summer, wherein she makes some new friends with the local youth of the 1990s. On the idea coming together, Lindsey Turner says:

That ’90s Show Takes Us Back to Wisconsin

     Netflix

There will be some familiar faces, as Red and Kitty Forman are still around as main characters. Other main stars from That ’70s Show will also be brought in for special appearances, including Topher Grace (Eric), Laura Prepon (Donna), Ashton Kutcher (Kelso), Mila Kunis (Jackie), Wilmer Valderrama (Fez), and Leo (Tommy Chong). But at its core, the spinoff will be following a new group of young characters living their best life in the 1990s, much in the way the original cast had done in That ’70s Show.

The idea here is to have That ’90s Show maintain the same vibe as That ’70s Show, even with a cast that’s primarily made up of new faces. As Mettler says of the feeling of the spinoff:

Callie Haverda plays Leia Forman, Red and Kitty’s granddaughter. The new cast is also made up of Ashley Aufderheide as next door neighbor Gwen, Maxwell Acee Donovan as Gwen’s brother Nate, Sam Morelos as Nate’s girlfriend Nikki, and Reyn Doi and Mace Coronel respectively playing the group’s other pals Ozzie and Jay.

That ’90s Show will premiere on Jan. 19, 2023. You can watch the new teaser below.