‘Mean Girls’ (2024) is a musical adaptation for longtime fans. Here’s everything you should know
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Remakes take a new form in the 2024 “Mean Girls” movie.
It seems fans aren’t sure what to expect from the newly-released adaptation. Is it a remake? It is a musical? It is any good?
In spite of confusion surrounding the movie, “Mean Girls” is still attracting hoards of fans. The movie raked in more than $28.6 million on opening weekend, per Box Office Mojo. And, so far, audiences are enjoying it — “Mean Girls” currently sits at a solid 70% enjoyment rate on Rotten Tomatoes.
“The latest version of this tale, while in no way challenging its predecessor, is better than it has any right to be, thanks to an extremely talented young cast, creative staging and some strong new jokes,” praises Bloomberg News.
Amid a smattering of Gen-Z oriented jokes, “Mean Girls” favors an audience who remembers when the original film hit theaters.
“While you don’t have to be doused in ‘Mean Girls’ lore to enjoy it, it carries itself like a sing-a-long tribute, with every classic gag delivered like an applause line and every key scene overplayed with lip-smacking relish,” notes the Daily Telegraph.
Throughout the adaptation, references to and cameos from the 2004 movie took the wheel while the plot took the back seat. Sure, I laughed out loud all through the new adaptation, but I left feeling this like is a movie for fans of the original “Mean Girls” — it doesn’t actively seek out new fans, rather it provides longtime fans with a dose of enjoyment rooted in nostalgia.
Here are the answers to all your burning questions about the new “Mean Girls” movie.
Is the new ‘Mean Girls’ movie a musical?
Sort of. “Mean Girls” (2024) is based on a Broadway musical that is based on the 2004 “Mean Girls” movie. The new adaptation was not marketed as a musical because, although it is scattered with brief musical numbers, the plot is not driven by them.
“This is a movie within the ‘Mean Girls’ world. We didn’t want to distill it down to one thing, because it’s not one thing,” Marc Weinstock, Paramount’s president of global marketing and distribution, told Variety.
“To start off saying musical, musical, musical, you have the potential to turn off audiences,” he says. “I want everyone to be equally excited.”
More than anything, the new “Mean Girls” movie is a remake. Once again, it follows awkward new-student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) as she navigated the ruthless jungle that is high school.
The movie closely follows the 2004 movie’s plot, reuses and references jokes made in the original and features several of the same characters — even Shane Oman returns. Musical numbers are used throughout to reinforce themes and tell emotion.
“This movie is a broad comedy with music,” Weinstock told Variety “Yes, it could be considered a musical but it appeals to a larger audience. You can see in (trailers for) ‘Wonka’ and ‘The Color Purple,’ they don’t say musical either. We have a musical note on the title, so there are hints to it without being overbearing.”
Why is ‘Mean Girls’ (2024) rated PG-13? Is is kid-friendly?
The 2024 “Mean Girls” musical adaptation has a similar (though slightly kinder) sense of humor to the original “Mean Girls” movie. There is moderate profanity, some crude humor and suggestive themes throughout.
The Motion Picture Association rates the movie PG-13 for “sexual material, strong language and teen drinking.”
According to Common Sense Media, parents should expect “suggestive gestures and lingo...passionate, over-the-top kissing, plenty of cleavage, and a couple of numbers with sexy costumes/references.”
Does ‘Mean Girls’ have a post-credit scene?
Yes. But it is not essential to the plot.
The post-credit scene comes at the very, very end (it is not mid-credits). Patient audiences get a final glimpse of Regina George (Reneé Rapp) in all her wicked glory. In the brief scene, Regina tells viewers — “You’re next!” — seemingly a challenge to embrace becoming a plastic.
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