The timeless and iconic high school drama Mean Girls changed the trajectory of high school films forever when it came out first in 2004. Starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Amanda Seyfried, the movie showed us what it’s like in the ‘girl world’. From wearing pink on Wednesdays and performing Jingle Bell Rocks in the Talent Show, the movie was packed with ‘grool’ moments. The writer of the film Tina Fey also created a Broadway musical based on the same story that ran from 2017-2020. And 20 years later in 2024, Tina is bringing this Broadway show to the theaters!
The trailer of the upcoming teen movie just dropped starring Reneé Rapp who will reprise her role as Regina George from the musical, Angourie Rice, Jaquel Spivey, Jenna Fischer and more. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows will also be reprising their roles from the original movie. The trailer so far has received mixed reactions from the audience. Take a look!
Here’s why.
Mean Girls (2004) Is Not That Old
It isn’t the first time reboots were released after 20 years of a movie’s original release. But that’s usually the case with films that lose their charm over time or find a chance to rebrand their bold yet mitigated elements. None of which can be said about Mean Girls. It is frequently referenced in the modern realms of pop culture and resides deeply in the hearts of the first generation of its admirers. While the impact remains, it’s rather frivolous to recreate it and dwell on the same concept. Moreover, when something’s loved so dearly by a massive audience, the expectations are sky-high giving room for negative feedback and criticism. So maybe, the creators could have waited for some time before making this movie.
A Musical-Based Movie Without Original Music
While watching the trailer for the first time, I honestly couldn’t focus on it because I was so distracted by Olivia Rodrigo’s “Get Him Back” playing in the background. Now, I get it, it’s not a musical but what’s the point of its melodious foundation when you’re not going to stay true to that? Nowhere in the trailer, we can see the actors singing or dancing to any of the original music. Or even lip-syncing. If it had to deviate from its Broadway version, then a fresh soundtrack could’ve easily been delightful. Maybe the creators deliberately want to keep it under wraps to take us all by surprise or they didn’t bother to create it at all. Either way, the trailer looked a little dull without this particular element.
Everything Looks the Same
Without the refreshing novelty of a musical that could’ve been the defining figment of the new Mean Girls movie, the trailer looked like watching the same old movie scenes with subtle dialogue changes delivered by a younger generation (along with some old ones). It seemed to me as if someone compiled all the meme-pack scenes of the original film, got them reenacted, and made the trailer. If the producers at any point felt the need to recreate all of those moments, we could have enjoyed those more in a sequel. A reunion could’ve been another great idea to make us fall in love with the ‘plastics’ all over again.
The Bright Side
The trailer might not be ideal but it’s not a bad one either. It features emerging talent and let’s not forget that it’s just a trailer. Let’s not judge a book by its cover. Besides, if there’s anything positive to look forward to is the sweet nostalgia this movie would give us.
As an ardent lover of the first movie, I’m down to watch the new one as soon as it’s out. I just hope we leave the theater saying “That was so fetch!”.
Are you excited for this movie? Let us know in the comments below.
