Netflix is teasing its upcoming new show A Different World, a sequel series that follows up on the beloved 1990s sitcom of the same name.
In this version, we’ll follow the youngest daughter of Hillman College’s Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert, Deborah Wayne, as she attends Hillman College alongside a new generation of students.
The first season will consist of 10 episodes in single-camera, half-hour format and they will all be released on September 24, 2026.
Check out the first-look stills from A Different Life below…
What is A Different World sequel series about?
Here’s the official synopsis shared by Netflix.
A Different World returns to Hillman College with a new class stepping onto campus — and beloved faces coming home. At the center is Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), Whitley and Dwayne’s lovingly sheltered youngest daughter, a free spirit with a flair for the spotlight and a big heart who’s still figuring out her own path at Hillman.
Along the way, she’s joined by a new generation that reflects the breadth of Black life on campus: Rashida Duvall (Alijah Kai), a first?gen criminal justice major; Shaquille Johnson (Cornell Young IV), a five?star athlete choosing legacy; Amir Rodale (Jordan Aaron Hall), a sharp psych major better at fixing everyone else’s problems than facing his own; Hazel Henry (Kennedi Reece), a church?raised small?town girl defining her own values; and Kojo Achebe (Chibuikem Uche), a Ghanaian?Nigerian fashion entrepreneur finding the courage to follow his vision. Legacy favorites also return, including Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison), Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer), and Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell).
Set against the rituals, humor, and nuances of an HBCU, A Different World is a hopeful dramedy, full of heart and unapologetically centered on the richness and complexity of the Black experience.
Keep clicking through the slideshow to learn more about the cast of the show, including the new characters and which stars from the original are returning!
Posted To:A Different World Alijah Kai Chibuikem Uche Cornell Young IV cree summer Darryl M Bell Jasmine Guy Jordan Aaron Hall Kadeem Hardison Kennedi Reece Maleah Joi Moon Netflix Slideshow Television