The stars of the 2003 body swap comedy voiced their interest in returning to that world, and Disney is now making their wish come true.
Late last year, Jamie Lee Curtis reportedly was interested in revisiting the 2003 body swap comedy remake she had made with then-rising star Lindsay Lohan, Freaky Friday. The Hollywood Reporter has now confirmed that it is officially in the works at the House of Mouse. Now that Disney is finding opportunities to reboot or give sequels to nostalgic projects thanks to Disney+ with projects like The Mighty Ducks series and the Hocus Pocus sequel, and hot off of Jamie Lee Curtis’ Oscar win, it seemed like a perfect time to cash in on a follow-up.
In the 2003 remake, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan played a mother and daughter who were constantly at odds with each other. A time came when they simultaneously wished the other could experience life in their shoes when magic fortune cookies made it come true. The next morning, they wake up in each other’s bodies. Wackiness ensues when Jamie Lee Curtis would go to high school in the new millennium and Lindsay Lohan experiences the work life of an adult.
The script is expected to be penned by Elyse Hollander, who is currently credited for short films. The first film was written by Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon and directed by Mark Waters. The film opened at number one in August of 2003 and was one of the touchstones in Lindsay Lohan’s blossoming career. The film was a hit, and Jamie Lee Curtis would continue to speak about it over the years. During her press tours for Halloween Ends, Curtis would highlight to the New York Times that she would continuously receive questions about doing a sequel to Freaky Friday.
Curtis would enthusiastically respond to the renewed interest in the film. “Something really touched a chord. When I came back, I called my friends at Disney and said, ‘It feels like there’s a movie to be made,’ ” she said. Lohan would share her sentiment, saying, “Jamie and I are both open to that, so we’re leaving it in the hands that be. We would only make something that people would absolutely adore.” While it’s no secret that Lohan’s career took a less desirable direction, the actress has been mounting a comeback for some time with projects like Falling for Christmas in a two-picture deal at Netflix.