It’s 2024, and maybe, this time, fetch is going to happen. Mean Girls is back on screen, but this isn’t your typical reboot, remake or sequel – it’s a complete reimagining of the story with a killer new cast (and some old favourites as well) and the same story you know and love.
Allow us to explain.
Mean Girls 2024: What is the story?
If you’re confused about what the deal is with Mean Girls this time around, you’re not alone.
The original movie was released 20 years ago, yes, but if you’re averse to the idea of a remake of the iconic teen film coming so soon, you’re not alone. The good news is that Mean Girls isn’t a copy-paste job of the original with a bit of new paint. It’s actually a movie musical based on the Broadway Mean Girls stage show, which was, in turn, based on the 2004 movie.
The Mean Girls musical, which began its run in 2017, featured music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and a book by Tina Fey (the writer of the original movie).
The 2024 Mean Girls movie is an adaptation of this musical. It follows the same basic premise of the movie, which sees homeschooled student Cady Heron navigate the wilds of high school as she’s taken under the wing of the notorious Plastics, but isn’t afraid to break out into song. Another of the major changes to this iteration of Mean Girls is its time period. Rather than the early 2000s, this film takes place in the age of the internet and social media. Goodbye, three-way landline calls.
The marketing does a pretty good job of hiding the fact this is a musical, but you can get a glimpse at some of the big numbers in the clips below.
Who is in the cast of the Mean Girls movie musical?
The cast of the 2024 Mean Girls movie features an all-new cast – apart from Tina Fey, who returns as writer, producer and Ms Norbur, and Tim Meadows, who is back as Principal Duvall.
Aussie starlet Angourie Rice is in the lead as Cady, with Reneé Rapp reprising her role from the musical as Regina George. Bebe Wood and Avantika Vandanapu fill out the Plastics crew as Gretchen and Karen, while Auli’i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey play Cady’s BFFs Damian and Janis. Christopher Briney is the heartthrob of the film, Aaron Samuels and Jenna Fischer, and Busy Philipps play Cady and Regina’s mums, respectively.
Lastly, we have Jon Hamm as Coach Farr, and Ashley Park (another returnee from the stage show) appears as Madame Park.
Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. direct the movie, with Lorne Michaels back as an executive producer. Jeff Richard and Nell Benjamin also came on board to rework their music from the stage show for the movie.
When can you watch it in Australia?
Mean Girls is one of the first cabs off the rank on the 2024 cinematic slate. The film will hit cinemas in Australia on Thursday, January 11, with advanced screenings starting January 10.
Find out what other movies are releasing this year.
Lead Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
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