Bret Easton Ellis, who took on scriptwriting duties, will likely use a more risqué tone than CW's usual fare. Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl, The Carrie Diaries) are to serve as producers and Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the first Twilight movie, has been hired as a consultant.

Copeland Prep is the fourth new series announced for CW's 2013/2014 season, after a reboot of Wonder Woman and the TV adaptations of movies Sleepy Hollow and Battle Royale, a Japanese survival film à la Hunger Games.