'Freaky Friday 2'confirmed! Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan to return
What's the story
Disney is set to reignite the magic of body-swapping with a sequel to its celebrated 2003 family comedy, Freaky Friday.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the studio has confirmed that Nisha Ganatra, known for her directorial work on Hulu's miniseries Welcome to Chippendales, will direct the follow-up.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan—stars of the original film—are reportedly in discussions to reprise their roles as the body-swapping mother-daughter duo.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Freaky Friday series, originally a 1972 namesake children's book by Mary Rogers, has seen multiple film adaptations.
The first adaptation was released in 1976 with Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster playing mother and daughter roles.
Then came the 2003 remake that became a box office hit, grossing a whopping $160M worldwide.
Directed by Mark Waters with a script by Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon, the film became a permanent resident of pop culture history.
Statement
'It feels like there's a movie to be made': Curtis
Both Curtis and Lohan have previously expressed interest in a sequel.
While promoting her 2022 horror film Halloween Ends, Curtis reflected on the 2003 film in a retrospective with the New York Times.
She revealed that fans constantly asked about the sequel, stating, "When I came back, I called my friends at Disney and said, 'It feels like there's a movie to be made."
Notably, a recent Instagram post by Curtis featuring Lohan further fueled anticipation for their return.
Production details
More about 'Freaky Friday 2's production team; filming details
Andrew Gunn, the producer of the original movie, is set to return for the sequel alongside former Disney+ executive Kristin Burr.
Ann Marie Sanderlin will serve as executive producer.
The sequel's script, penned by Jordan Weiss, promises a "multigenerational approach" to the story.
The method of release for the project—whether it will be theatrical or on Disney+—has not yet been determined.
Filming is scheduled to begin this summer in Los Angeles.
Career highlights
Recent works of 'Freaky Friday 2' stars and director
Capping off a successful year, Curtis won an Academy Award for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once in 2023 and appeared in the latest reboot of the Halloween trilogy.
Meanwhile, Lohan has been impressing audiences with her performances in popular Netflix romantic comedies like the recently released Irish Wish.
Lastly, director Ganatra's portfolio includes feature films such as Late Night and The High Note, as well as TV credits like And Just Like That and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.