Six surprising things about Sex and the City sequel 'And Just Like That'

Watch: And Just Like That teaser

Sex and the City was a copper-bottomed TV phenomenon. The beloved HBO series ran for six seasons between 1998 and 2004, and was followed up with two - slightly less well-received - movies.

The last time we saw Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha, their stories appeared to have come to a natural end.

Carrie was married to Mr Big, sharing his vast Manhattan apartment, and still hanging out with the other three for glamorous brunches.

Charlotte was happily married to lawyer Harry Goldenblatt and they had adopted daughter Lily.

Miranda was still living with good old Steve, son Brady and Steve's ancient mother, in a large house in Queens, trying to juggle everything - and Samantha was running her glitteringly successful PR firm and having wild sex with men many years her junior.

It was all quite the fairytale ending. But now, our old friends have had a makeover. The sequel to SATC, '...And Just Like That', premieres on HBO on December 9.

Information has been scant about where the new series will take our old friends - but here's six things we do know (or at least suspect).

1 No Samantha this time

Kim Cattrall will not be reprising her role as Samantha Jones. After the final film, released in 2010, it transpired that she and Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays columnist Carrie, had fallen out.

Initially the feud seemed to be sparked by their different levels of pay, and Cattrall indicating that the cast did not hang out together offset. But in 2018, it ramped up when Kim's brother died. She posted on Instagram, "I don't need your love or support at this tragic time @sarahjessicaparker."

"My Mom asked me today 'When will that @sarahjessicaparker, that hypocrite, leave you alone?,'" Cattrall wrote in the caption. "Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now.

Read more: 'Sex And The City' fans get first look at spinoff series 'And Just Like That...'

"Let me make this VERY clear. (If I haven't already) You are not my family. You are not my friend," she added. "So I'm writing to tell you one last time to stop exploiting our tragedy in order to restore your 'nice girl' persona."

Oof. SJP has not publicly responded- and the producers of And Just Like That have said 'the door is open' for a Samantha return- currently the character is allegedly living in London.

Though we don't have much hope it won't remain slammed...

2 Big is back!

Rumours were rife that Carrie's husband Mr Big, played by Chris Noth, would not return for the long-awaited sequel, with commentators speculating that he'd be 'killed off' (one long-ago episode of SATC focussed on his stress- related heart problems.)

A scene for AJLT which was filmed with extras in black, and appeared to be a funeral, also fuelled the speculation.

But the latest trailer shows him alive and well, and apparently living with Carrie in their giant apartment. Sure, he looks a little older and greyer - but who wouldn't after twenty-odd years of coping with Carrie Bradshaw's ups and downs?

Of course, we can't guarantee he'll make it through the entire season - but without Big to bounce off, Carrie would be thrown back onto the brutal NYC dating scene as a fifty-something, and that mjght be too cruel a fate for our favourite Manolo-wearing princess.

3 Carrie is a podcaster!

Back in the old days, Carrie was living the high life as a sex and relationships columnist, occasionally contributing to Vogue and attending a huge, glittering launch party for the book of her collected columns.

Sadly, those days are gone, and print columnist salaries are not what they were. Of course, she could retire and live on Big's enormous income forever whilst buying even more shoes - but Carrie is nothing if not independent, so of course she needs to work.

It seems she's now presenting a podcast which allows her to muse much as her "I had to wonder..." column did.

Read more: Sarah Jessica Parker Just Brought Carrie Bradshaw Back, and We're So Here for It

In the trailer, she sits at the microphone, and says, "They say 'some things never change' but the truth is... life is full of surprises and your story unfolds, the city reinvents itself - and just like that a new chapter begins."

She's also seen chatting in the studio to non-binary actor Sara Ramírez, who is Mexican American, joking about performing a sex act in a department store. Seems some things really haven't changed.

4 Charlotte and Harry are still together

It took many episodes and an ill-starred marriage to Trey and his deeply troubled schooner before Charlotte York found the perfect man (and sex life) in balding, straight-talking divorce lawyer Harry Goldenblatt.

Unable to have children together, the couple adopted Asian-American baby Lily, and were left living in Upper East Side domestic bliss. It's good to know that the bliss apparently continues, as the couple still appear to be married, and are shown rushing off to watch their now-teenage daughter star in a piano recital.

Kristin Davies, who plays Charlotte, said of the re-boot, "People are like, ‘Why should they come back?’ and it really bugs me. Are women’s lives not interesting now? "Nobody ever asks, ‘Why would you do this violent remake over and over again?’ For me that is so indicative of our reluctance to sit and watch women’s lives develop over time.”

5 Carrie is still obsessed with clothes

Though the show-runners and writers have acknowledged that post-pandemic, the show's old obsession with endless shopping and spending may be less relevant, it's clear that Carrie's love of fashion has gone nowhere. There may be a few less Manolos scattered around, but stills from filming reveal some very Carrie outfits being showcased, including trailing coats, mis-matched jewellery and sky-high designer heels.

Carrie's old ringlets have been replaced by blonde beachy waves with streaks of silver, and there may have been some improvement in her domestic habits as Big is seen to comment, "I remember when you kept your sweaters in the stove."

She's also shown throwing open the doors to her old shoe closet and twinkling 'hello lovers' at her shelves of stilettos. It seems Carrie has also held onto her old apartment - a Just In Case for And Just Like That, perhaps? Recently, SJP spoke about her SATC clothes in Vogue, admitting, "I kept every single, solitary thing."

6 There are old favourites - and new characters

The trailer reveals that old stalwarts have returned to Carrie's corner of Manhattan. Sadly, though Willie Garson, who plays Carrie's gay BFF Stanford Blatch, makes a brief appearance, the actor died earlier this year from cancer. His husband on the show, Anthony, however, is back, as is Miranda's put-upon partner Steve Brady, and their son, (inexplicably also called Brady) who is now a fully grown man.

There are also some new introductions, which aim to recitify the previous incarnation's severe lack of diversity (and what many thought a particularly crass depiction of the Middle East in the second, much-panned movie.)

Newcomers include Carrie's friend Seema (played by Sarita Choudhury) who is joined by actors Karen Pittman, Nicole Ari Parker and Sara Ramirez playing Carrie's co-host.

It's a slightly more realistic New York - but the fairy tale is still going.

“I think young women still really relate to this story," Sarah Jessica Parker told Vogue. "It’s about finding friendships that matter, looking for work that fulfils you, and pursuing love...

"The world of Carrie and her friends has always been about coming home, and I felt like we needed that right now.”

Watch: Sarah Jessica Parker slams 'misogynistic chatter' about Sex and the City Revival