A revival of a beloved, iconic movie? Groundbreaking, as Meryl Streep’s “The Satan Wears Prada” character Miranda Priestly would say.
However screenwriters, each these getting back from a number of the aughts’ most beloved movies, in addition to the writers of latest franchise editions for subsequent trendy installments, are getting down to just do that: Make a sequel that’s not solely nice, however vital.
“Freakier Friday” is the newest movie to get the legacyquel spin — and maybe one of many first to be critically acclaimed because it hits theaters. After all, “The Satan Wears Prada 2” already has high-brow energy: Whereas “Freakier Friday” boasts one Academy Award winner (Jamie Lee Curtis) amongst its ensemble, “Prada” is led by 4 Oscar nominees, with Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep each having received statues. (And Streep is reprising her “Prada” function, which she was additionally nominated for.)
The productions of “Freakier Friday” and “The Satan Wears Prada 2” have ignited viral web fandom, with “Freakier Friday” partially touchdown a theatrical launch because of the on-line help that the announcement of the sequel generated.
“Freakier Friday” being greenlit additional appeared to open the floodgates for extra 2000s nostalgic revivals: “Princess Diaries 3,” “Bend It Like Beckham 2,” “I Know What You Did Final Summer season,” “My Finest Good friend’s Wedding ceremony,” “The Vacation,” and even “Air Bud” are all getting millennial-centric installments. And that’s not even together with collection sequels to ’90s properties akin to “And Simply Like That” (RIP) and “Clueless,” which “Freakier Friday” scribe Jordan Weiss is writing for Peacock.
Are studios mining their present movies with fifteenth, twentieth, and twenty fifth anniversaries in thoughts, or are screenwriters pitching these revivals in droves primarily based on their very own childhood cinematic fandoms? Why is there this seemingly sudden push for rom-coms, or in millennial converse, girly pop movies?
And the way a lot does “Barbie” must do with all of it?
IndieWire spoke with “The Satan Wears Prada 2″ screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, “Freakier Friday” screenwriter Jordan Weiss, and Elyse Hollander, who shares a co-story-by credit score with Weiss on the “Freaky Friday” sequel, to unpack the nostalgic development of 2000s movies being introduced into 2025 and past — and element which early twenty first century movies they’re every vying to revive.
The next interviews have been edited and condensed for size and readability.
IndieWire: The overwhelming inflow of 2000s movies being changed into franchises has actually marked a development in recent times. Why do you suppose these millennial excessive idea favorites are getting newfound consideration? Is that this led by the studios or the creatives?
Jordan Weiss: It was a mix of legacy producers [Kristin Burr and Andrew Gunn from the 2003 “Freaky Friday”] and millennial executives [such as Disney SVP of development Allison Erlikhman, who is also working on “Princess Diaries 3”] and a millennial screenwriter, who have been all like, “We both love this film as a result of we labored on it” or “we have been kids when it got here out and are obsessive about each a part of it.” I feel [Allison] being of this technology and having that shut tie made her such an asset as a studio government engaged on this.”
I feel these revivals come about in quite a lot of other ways. Typically it’s me choosing up the telephone and saying, “Hey, I’ve an thought for an interpretation of this piece of IP,” and typically it’s a studio saying, “These two actors have remained in one another’s lives and and are nonetheless pals and love one another and need to make one other one among these as a result of they’ve stayed so shut over 20 years.” After which they discover some recent voices to usher in and assist them work on that.
Aline Brosh McKenna: The need to do that [“The Devil Wears Prada 2“] once more got here from the inventive crew. It didn’t come from the studio. The one purpose to do one thing like that is you probably have one thing you need to say, one thing inventive. I’ve definitely been approached with different remakes that, in different contexts, didn’t make sense for me anyway. This was actually coming from the oldsters on the inventive crew being the primary ones coming collectively and desirous to proceed this story.
I’ve talked to [“The Devil Wears Prada” director] David Frankel repeatedly over the past 20 years. A few years in the past, I began saying to him, “You recognize, I truly suppose that there’s a sequel right here as a result of the world that these characters reside in is altering so dramatically and so quickly. I actually really feel like there may very well be one thing there.” We simply began mildly chatting about it, however actually, I had no expectation and I used to be off doing different issues.
McKenna was the showrunner for “Loopy Ex-Girlfriend” and made her directorial debut with rom-com “Your Place or Mine.”
Aline, I do know that within the 20 years since “The Satan Wears Prada” was launched, some actors did publicly shut down the concept of a sequel.
Hathaway famously mentioned in 2022 that she wasn’t certain the movie might even warrant every other installments because of the demise of the print journal business: “I don’t know if there might be [a sequel]. I simply suppose that film was in a special period. Now every thing’s gone so digital and that film is centered across the idea of manufacturing a bodily factor and it’s simply, it’s simply very totally different.”
McKenna: All of them mentioned no [for years]. None of us actually felt prefer it made sense earlier, after which unexpectedly, it actually did make sense.
So, why now? What made these no’s turn into sure’s?
McKenna: One of many authentic producers of the film, Wendy Finerman, mentioned, “I’ve spoken to Meryl. If in case you have one thing to pitch her, she wish to hear it.” That’s actually what began the method. An important consideration was determining what a narrative could be, to have a narrative that may maintain up. The one purpose to do one thing like this [a sequel] is you probably have one thing you need to say, one thing inventive. I’ve definitely been approached with different remakes that in different contexts didn’t make sense for me. I felt like this was actually concerning the people on the inventive crew from the primary one coming collectively once more and desirous to proceed this story. And having the unique forged collectively was so necessary.
For “Freakier Friday,” as a screenwriter becoming a member of the franchise with the legacy sequel, was there added strain for the reason that core authentic forged was returning, too?
Hollander: It’s an enormous threat for everyone concerned to come back again. You don’t need to spoil the legacy, you need add to it. I used to be like, “I can’t be liable for ruining a beloved movie and including to a money seize, schlock pile that may be as soon as direct to DVD.”
Weiss: I don’t know, I feel there’s quite a lot of strain on each movie to be nice as a result of all people engaged on it cares about it so much, whether or not it’s streaming or theatrical or of any dimension, however I feel that there are, totally different challenges and various things which might be enjoyable about becoming a member of a franchise. It doesn’t matter what IP you’re adapting, whether or not it’s a comic book guide or a legacy sequel, you’re nonetheless opening a clean doc and being tasked with creating an authentic new story, whether or not that’s an authentic story impressed by or together with characters from the previous or impressed by or together with characters from your personal private historical past. You’re making a brand new expertise for the viewers.
I actually don’t really feel as if I’m not being given the chance to be utterly authentic and inventive, even once I’m working as a part of like huge legacy titles. I really feel like this can be a privilege. You at all times need to honor the place one thing got here from, whether or not it got here from my very own private heartbreak once I was 16 or whether or not it got here from a tremendous film starring Lindsay Lohan from 2003.
There are issues which might be actually enjoyable about it when it’s an authentic, and there are additionally issues which might be actually enjoyable and particular when it’s me getting introduced into a bunch undertaking that’s existed for 25 years or 30 years. Whether or not it’s authentic or constructing off of a bit of IP is of secondary significance to me.
There have been some backlash about there being “too many” legacy sequels introduced. Do you suppose this can be a gendered criticism as the entire movies receiving their flack are women-led rom-coms?
McKenna: I don’t suppose [the criticism is] gendered. I feel, from what I can inform, individuals are actually enthusiastic about quite a lot of these, and I do know “Freakier Friday” is opening actually quickly. I actually suppose it simply boils right down to the story it’s a must to inform. We’re additionally experiencing our personal sense of nostalgia and revisiting a movie. I feel that’s what we’re hoping to do for an viewers, for them to have that feeling of a reunion, too.
Weiss: The factor that’s humorous to me is that there’s quite a lot of dialog now of like, “Oh, my God, every thing’s a reboot, every thing’s a sequel. I miss the ’90s and early 2000s when every thing was authentic,” and I’m like, “These have been additionally all remakes.” There are in all probability so many motion pictures that individuals don’t understand have been truly motion pictures from the ’30s or ’40s. I’m like, “Hollywood’s constructed on it.” Possibly we’re at all times re-innovating, however I’ve embraced it. I feel that each one of those tales are authentic, and you continue to are creating one thing new. I’ve actually tried to be optimistic concerning the potential with that. If a cynical individual needs to say that each one [legacy sequels] come from the identical money seize, that’s simply not my view of it. However possibly I’ve bought rose coloured glasses on.
Hollander: I feel the rom-com style has been everybody’s responsible pleasure, and we have to do away with the guilt and simply settle for that it’s tremendous enjoyable and incredible. And I’ve truly heard that along with regardless of the on-line troll feedback are, there additionally has been such a push for love and a return to huge, emotional film star-driven movies that aren’t about capes and explosions. I feel “The Satan Wears Prada 2” is going on as a result of you might have big film stars [in it] as effectively.
McKenna: “Prime Gun: Maverick” actually confirmed that there was an curiosity in these [legacy sequels]. They actually up to date [Tom Cruise’s] character to replicate his age and his expertise. To me, these don’t essentially appear to be cynical cash grabs, which is how I feel they’re usually portrayed. I feel usually, as in our case, and as within the case of “Prime Gun,” it stems from like a authentic want to see these characters once more. And within the ’30s and ’40s, they routinely made tons of sequels, and there wasn’t a humiliation about desirous to revisit beloved characters. The viewers has requested for extra of this and on this case, it simply occurred over such an extended time period.
Is that this wave of 2000s fandom in Hollywood partially additionally because of “Barbie” making field workplace historical past? What occurred to the pause of excessive idea rom-coms? Did that occur together with the condescension of the “chick flick” style label?
Hollander: I feel it’s realizing there’s nonetheless a market for what I wish to name DryBar motion pictures. Within the early days of DryBar [the salon], you’d go, you’d get a glass of champagne, you get your hair blown out. It was like a really female-centric area and they’d have a film taking part in, our favourite rom-coms like “Methods to Lose a Man in 10 Days,” “Bride Wars,” “He’s Simply Not That into You,” “By no means Been Kissed,” all these nice motion pictures. After which at a sure level, somebody determined that it wasn’t industrial anymore.
McKenna: One of many causes the fandom for [“The Devil Wears Prada”] and all of those motion pictures is so enduring is as a result of the tradition was a lot extra centered on just a few items. … I assume individuals name it the monoculture, however the viewers [in the 2000s] wasn’t as fragmented. So lots of people did see this film when it got here out, after which it had this superb life on DVDs which don’t exist anymore, however that was an enormous. That prolonged its life.
After which the offers that have been made for it to be on TV. I imply, [“The Devil Wears Prada”] is at all times on TV. “Prada” and “27 Clothes” are on TV simply so incessantly, and the factor that individuals say to me essentially the most is, “Oh, if that’s on, I’ll watch the entire thing.” It’s not simply primarily based on the standard of the film itself, but additionally undoubtedly primarily based on a sense. On the time [in the early 2000s], there was simply extra of a way of bringing individuals collectively. Everyone watched the “Associates” finale, , and so these are all issues that you can speak about in widespread.
I feel, in a manner, the recognition of those older motion pictures has one thing to do with our longing to have one thing that cuts throughout the entire tradition. I feel that drives quite a lot of the curiosity and so it’s residing on within the web and on tv. This one [“The Devil Wears Prada”] has lived on, however I additionally suppose it represents not simply the nostalgia for this specific film, however kind of a nostalgia for mass moviegoing and a typical shared tradition.
Followers of the respective authentic movies have already made set pictures for each “Freakier Friday” and “The Satan Wears Prada 2” go viral. “Freakier Friday” star and producer Jamie Lee Curtis slammed the leaked photos in 2024, calling them an “intrusion … into the inventive strategy of filmmaking.” What’s your opinion?
Weiss: The parasocial relationship between followers and franchises is at all times attention-grabbing to me.
McKenna: We knew there could be quite a lot of curiosity. I personally hadn’t skilled this degree of individuals popping out [to the set], nevertheless it’s the world we reside in. In some ways, we’re talking to a special world than we did in 2006. … It stems from like a authentic want to see these characters once more. So long as everybody’s secure, what an honor that individuals are nonetheless .
How do you strategy writing a legacy sequel? Did you at all times know you needed to faucet into early 2000s IPs?
Weiss: After I’m wanting forward in my profession, it’s much less about, “Do I need to reboot this particular title?” and extra about deciding I need to do extra rom-coms, I need to do extra mother-daughter tales. Having the chance to do an enormous rom com that’s authentic, nice, but when I’ve the chance to do an enormous rom-com that’s the remake of a beloved ’90s rom-com, additionally nice. If somebody is like, “Are you able to consider you’re engaged on one other reboot?” I might be like, “That is was utterly my authentic thought.” I feel that’s one of the simplest ways to make the most of IP although is to have an unbiased, authentic idea after which having it’s inside the secure haven of an IP so studios can greenlight it.
I feel there’s quite a lot of crossover with stuff. “Dollface” was wholly authentic, nevertheless it was taking inspiration from issues like “Clueless.” Actually Brenda Tune’s authentic character description was “Millennial Cher Horowitz” within the script. … I want that there would have been extra of an viewers for “Dollface” to final 10 seasons, however I feel in the end prefer it’s simpler to search out an viewers when you might have IP.
Hollander: I feel you possibly can lean into a few of these IP titles and use them in a sneaky manner in to do one thing new. In a dream world, each film may very well be an attention-grabbing small A24 Celine Tune, like one thing that makes you query artwork on the earth and your perspective, and I feel there’s area for that.
After this interview was performed, it was introduced that Tune is now additionally stepping into the nostalgic reboot sport with “My Finest Good friend’s Wedding ceremony,” which she is writing for Sony.
I feel on the identical time too, Hollywood has at all times been a enterprise the place it’s a must to promote a product, whether or not it’s leisure or pleasure or happiness or nostalgia. And it’s your job as the author to slip in deeper themes that you simply need to discover. Like a four-way swap and with a blended household storyline throughout a number of generations [as the “Freakier Friday” plot], I might describe the film in a manner that feels like an A24 movie, like a physique horror swap factor, and then you definitely understand, “Oh wait, it’s Freaky Friday.” I really feel like that’s when it’s actually profitable, if you’re unsure by the logline what shiny veneer marker it has on it.
Are there every other 2000s movies you need to reboot?
Hollander: I’d love for the [’90s] “Charlie’s Angels” to come back again. I’d love for “Carry It On” to return, particularly with the rise of “Cheer” and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders collection. I’d like to see Kirsten Dunst reprising her function and, what does that seem like 20 years later, if you’ve aged out of like being a performer or cheerleader? Form of make it like an “F1” occasion that Brad Pitt had.
McKenna: I keep in mind once I first got here to Hollywood, I actually needed to remake “Cheaper by the Dozen” as a result of it had been a extremely profitable guide and film manner, manner again and no one was . I used to be a child author after which that turned out to be an enormous hit film. I don’t even know if individuals linked it to the truth that it was a remake; it needed to stand by itself.
Aline, would you extra open to revisiting any of your previous movies now after returning to jot down “The Satan Wears Prada 2”? And if not, would you be OK with one other author taking up one among your IPs like with what occurred with “Freakier Friday”?
McKenna: I attempted to do a TV present with “27 Clothes,” however I haven’t fairly gotten there but. The marriage business has simply exploded since we made that film. I imply, once I see what younger individuals are going by way of now with weddings, that appears quaint. I feel that’s primed for one thing. Out of the issues I’ve written, I might say that’s the one. I’m unsure that there might be a “We Purchased One other Zoo.”
“Freakier Friday” is at the moment in theaters. “The Satan Wears Prada 2” is predicted in theaters Could 2026. Each are Disney releases.