HBO Max has released the first look teaser and character posters for the much-anticipated Gossip Girl reboot ahead of the series premiere on Thursday, July 8. Developed by showrunner Joshua Safran, a writer and executive producer on the original series, this extension of the pop culture classic takes us back to the Upper East Side finding a new generation of New York private school teens being introduced to social surveillance nine years after the original blogger's website went dark. The series is based on the bestselling novels by Cecily von Ziegesar and the original show, developed by Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage, which ran from 2007-2012 on The CW.

Secrets, secrets are no fun... unless they come from Gossip Girl. She's back and badder than ever. See you on the steps.

Gossip Girl explores just how much social media - and the landscape of New York itself - has changed in the intervening years. The series stars Jordan Alexander, Eli Brown, Thomas Doherty, Tavi Gevinson, Emily Alyn Lind, Evan Mock, Zion Moreno, Whitney Peak and Savannah Lee Smith.

HBO Max has tapped award-winning director Karena Evans to direct the pilot and second episode of the upcoming Gossip Girl series.

"Josh Safran has found a perfect partner in Karena to illustrate how the landscape of social media, the upper east side and the world have changed since Gossip Girl premiered 13 years ago," said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max. "Additionally, her passion for inclusive storytelling matches Josh's and we are proud to have her on this journey with us."

Gossip Girl is produced by Fake Empire and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios. The series is written, executive produced and developed by Joshua Safran of Random Acts. Executive producers also include Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage of Fake Empire, and Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo of Alloy Entertainment. Lis Rowinski of Fake Empire serves as co-executive producer. Karena Evans directs two episodes and original costume designer Eric Daman rejoins the series.