Netflix Just Released the Trailer for ‘Rebelde’ and We Are Nostalgic Yet Excited at the Same Time

I was just as excited as I was confused when I first heard that “Rebelde” was getting a Netflix reboot. It is rare to see a major streamer pick up a Mexican telenovela to reboot, especially one that has become a staple for Latinx pop culture.

When I saw the teaser of the new cast singing the intro of the iconic “Rebelde,” I got chills, but like many loyal “Rebelde” fans, I was worried they were going to spoil the original storyline and cast.

With the release of the full trailer, I could not help but get excited at what is to come with its premiere on January 5, 2022. Not only did we get a preview of the new characters and the overall plot, but we even got a glimpse of the drama and the music that’s coming.

From what we can see, there will be tons of music, romances, fashion, and the return of original cast members like Celina and Pilar. Even the underground group La Logia is making a comeback! La Logia was a group of privileged students at the Elite Way School that wanted to haze and expel those with scholarships. I can already see the tension between the rich and the poor at EWS bubbling up.

We’re also going to get more diversity. Though “Rebelde” showed us the ultimate version of Mexican youth, I am excited to see the show become more diverse by representing more Latinx storylines and cultures through characters from Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. This will help the show appeal to a wider Latinx audience.

From the looks of it, it is giving “High School Musical” and “Glee” vibes. The mentions of a “Musical Excellence Program” and a battle of the bands in the previews are admittedly cheesy. IMO, we can save the singing competitions for “La Academia” or “American Idol” because we all know that “Rebelde” was much more than that, defining a generation with fashion, music, storylines, and a cast that wasn’t afraid to break boundaries. 

Of course, it has been almost 20 years since the telenovela first premiered, and shows like “Elite” have come to push the envelope even more. Let’s remember that “Rebelde” was a novela that aired on major Latino television networks and it was mostly PG. But the question remains: how different will the franchise be now that it’s airing on Netflix and no longer has to abide by traditional network standards?

This reboot plans to have a balance of appealing to Gen Z, the new generation of rebeldes, while touching on the nostalgia factor for all the OG fans. The season promises hidden nuggets of nostalgia — even on the release of one of their first original songs, “Pensando en Ti” we see the two animated characters looking at the logo and uniforms of the original show.

Am I going to watch this new generation of “Rebelde” despite my initial criticisms? Yes!

I think with any reboot there is a lot of backlash compared to the original show. As a loyal fan, I am excited to see the new series and how the original storylines become references and the base for these new ones.