‘Mean Girls’ Broadway Musical to Be Adapted Into New Feature Film, Tina Fey to Write and Produce
It’s come full circle: The movie-gone-musical is being turned into a movie at Paramount
Beatrice Verhoeven | January 23, 2020 @ 12:00 PM
Last Updated: January 23, 2020 @ 12:20 PM
The “Mean Girls” Broadway musical is being adapted into a new feature film at Paramount Pictures, with Tina Fey writing the script, the studio announced Thursday. You heard it right: The movie-gone-musical is being turned into a movie!
Plot details for the adaptation, produced by Fey and Lorne Michaels, are being kept under wraps. Of course, the 2004 film, “Mean Girls,” focused on the story of Cady Heron, who moves to suburban Illinois after being homeschooled in Africa, and wants to be popular. She takes on The Plastics and becomes frenemies with Regina George. But soon, she learns the hard way that you just shouldn’t mess with the Queen Bee.
The stage musical, currently playing at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City, is produced by Michaels, Stuart Thompson, Sonia Friedman and Paramount. It features a book by Fey, based on her screenplay for the film, music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs the show, which has broken Broadway box office records on its way to recouping its capitalization.
Richmond will do the music for the new film as well, while Benjamin will write the lyrics. More details will be announced.
Additionally, the studio announced that “Mean Girls” the musical will bow in London’s West End in late Spring of 2021.
“It has been a joy to work on ‘Mean Girls’ and to watch it go from film, to musical, and now to musical film,” Michaels said. “I am very proud that Tina’s story and characters continue to resonate with new generations. We are all excited to continue to work with Sonia Friedman and her team as we prepare for London.”
Fey added: “I’m very excited to bring ‘Mean Girls’ back to the big screen. It’s been incredibly gratifying to see how much the movie and the musical have meant to audiences. I’ve spent sixteen years with these characters now. They are my Marvel Universe and I love them dearly.”
Elizabeth Raposo, President of Production for Paramount Pictures, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing this iconic property back to the big screen in musical form with our incredible filmmaking team.”
The original “Mean Girls” was directed by Mark Waters and starred Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried, Lizzy Caplan, Jonathan Bennett and Daniel Franzese. The film grossed $129 million worldwide and is now considered a cult hit. A direct-to-video sequel, “Mean Girls 2,” premiered on ABC Family in 2011.
The Broadway adaptation premiered in March 2018.
11 Best Back-to-School Movies, From 'Animal House' to 'Mean Girls' (Photos)
There are hundreds of movies about going to school and growing up, but only a handful specifically capture the feeling of summer ending, entering into a new grade, meeting new people and starting fresh. Yes, it's the waning weeks of August, and that means it's time for back-to-school shopping, new school butterflies and making the most of the last few days you'll get outdoors. And though you won't find teen classics like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "The Breakfast Club" or others on this list, you will find some great movies meant to get you into the back-to-school spirit.
"Animal House" (1978)
Look, a film with a toga party, countless pranks and an entire frat house on Double Secret Probation does not sound like the best influence for anyone hoping to head off to college and succeed, but "Animal House" actually has a lot of wisdom to impart. The ultimate snobs vs. slobs comedy teaches you to find where you belong. In those opening scenes where Flounder and Pinto first step into the Delta house, they get drinks spilled on them, the house is a mess and I think someone just barged in on a motorcycle, but you know instantly, this is the place to be.
Universal
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982)
One of the most quintessential teen movies, Amy Heckerling's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," set the bar for raunchy teen comedies with heart and depth, as well as many of the high school character tropes we've come to know.
Universal
"Back to School" (1986)
Hey, look who's getting some class ... in class! You're alright. "Back to School" is no "Caddyshack," but it's Rodney Dangerfield doing what he does best, throwing zingers, double entendres and wads of cash at you a mile a minute.
Orion Pictures
"Matilda" (1996)
Based on Roald Dahl's novel, the charming "Matilda" as directed by Danny DeVito still has a winning attitude about going to school and shining despite monstrous parents and principals who would rather see you fail. This children's classic has whimsy and wisdom for days.
TriStar Films
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001)
I'm guessing your school doesn't have a sorting hat, quidditch or transfiguration classes, but the first Harry Potter film is a childlike wonder that highlights Hogwarts at its best. It teaches kids about the jitters of discovering not just a new place or strange new people but tapping into what makes you special.
Warner Bros.
"Legally Blonde" (2001)
"What, like it's hard?" The charm of "Legally Blonde" lies in Reese Witherspoon's spirited confidence, goodness and optimism all channeled into the idea that being confident and professional shouldn't come at the expense of being yourself.
MGM
"Mean Girls" (2004)
"Mean Girls" opens with Lindsay Lohan's Cady looking up at her nurturing parents. They ask if she has money for her lunch and if she remembers her phone number. The joke is, she's a teenager only going to public school for the first time. It's funny because going back to school is a hard experience no matter your age.
Paramount Pictures
"Friday Night Lights" (2004)
While people adore the TV show, Peter Berg's film "Friday Night Lights" milks the high intensity and drama from starting a new football season and being the new coach in town. From the beginning of the school year, you feel the pressure on each of these kids to succeed on the gridiron and claim their future, which is exactly what going back to school is all about.
Universal
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012)
Stephen Chbosky's filmed adaptation of his own novel is one of those sweet, underrated gems with a great sense of nostalgia and a modern sensibility. Some of the film's best moments feature Charlie (Logan Lerman) in his first few days of school, such as realizing your old friend from junior high has now grown distant, or in looking for the courage to find his feet on the dance floor at Homecoming.
Summit Entertainment
"21 Jump Street" (2012)
No one would've guessed that a comedy remake of a campy '80s show about cops going undercover in a high school could work. But the zany, screwball chemistry of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum going back to school and trying to fit into cliques taught us all a lesson.
Columbia Pictures Corporation
"Everybody Wants Some!!" (2016)
While Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused" is set on the last day of school, his spiritual sequel "Everybody Wants Some!!" is set in the few days before classes begin. In 1980, a Texas college baseball team lives together in a house ahead of the start of the fall season. It's a film about masculinity, fading glory days and discovering a new identity at a new chapter in your life.
Annapurna Pictures
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Get back into the school spirit with films like “Friday Night Lights,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Legally Blonde”
There are hundreds of movies about going to school and growing up, but only a handful specifically capture the feeling of summer ending, entering into a new grade, meeting new people and starting fresh. Yes, it's the waning weeks of August, and that means it's time for back-to-school shopping, new school butterflies and making the most of the last few days you'll get outdoors. And though you won't find teen classics like "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "The Breakfast Club" or others on this list, you will find some great movies meant to get you into the back-to-school spirit.
Universal
