Legacy sequels are nothing new. Franchises thrive on reviving, rebooting and expanding cult classics that nobody really asked for, as they offer a safer return on investment at the box office and consolidate the future of that IP.
Culturally, our nostalgia is a lucrative capital. An entire sub-genre of movies is emerging of long-awaited sequels to cult classics from the early 2000s, which offer audiences a chance to catch up with characters decades later.
The Devil Wears Prada is currently filming a sequel in New York, Bend It Like Beckham 2 was announced last week, The Princess Diaries 3 has just been confirmed and Freakier Friday has just landed in cinemas.
Similar to the 2003 original, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan take a walk down memory lane as another unexplained magical encounter – this time with a slightly-possessed palm-reader – causes them to swap bodies again, but with Anna's daughter Harper (Julia Butters) and her soon-to-be step-daughter Lily (Sophia Hammons).
Sure, there are some differences, but Freakier Friday doesn't stray too far from the freaky stuff we're already familiar with – after all, that's what audiences are keen for more of, right? Anna is getting married to British chef Eric (Manny Jacinto) and a new generation is dealing with the uncertain future of their blended family, all while processing a colossal loss, Lily's mother, similar to Anna's dad in the first movie.
Freakier Friday, quite successfully, tugs on the same heart strings, follows similar beats and even repeats some of the same songs to serve a predictable, well-loved formula patched together with scrapbook transitions that hark back to the golden age of teen movies.
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Y2K is often seen through rose-tinted glasses, but it's also a reminder of simpler times. Social media didn't exist, movies weren't spoiled before you had a chance to catch them at the cinema, DVDs were shared and swapped between friends, before our dwindling attention spans and adult anxieties crept in.
These sequels haven't been created because studios have anything profoundly new to offer to these stories or the genre, but to tap back into the shared cultural experience of watching our favourite movie together, again.
The premise of comedies such as Freakier Friday is sold simply on offering more of the same, which undeniably lowers our expectation of the film, while simultaneously is laden with the pressure of living up to something millennials have loved since childhood.
Audiences go into these sequels knowing that the original will be repackaged, repurposed and sold back to us with a modern-day spin on it. It's an opportunity to experience, again, for the first time, what you loved so much about the first film: Lohan's physical comedy, adults dressed as teenagers, sabotage, wedding and family drama.
Ultimately, these nostalgic sequels don't necessarily have to be 'good' critical movies for us to invest in them, though if they're particularly dreadful (read unfaithful to the original characters and lore), then audiences make that clear. But it's hard to be objective about this particular sub-genre as they're selling audiences the opportunity to re-live their favourite film, again.
Freakier Friday wasn't ever going to be groundbreaking, but it thrives and shines as an extra dose of something we've watched and enjoyed before.
Comfort watches aren't a genre to be devalued either. They serve as a tonic to make the day a bit brighter, a slither of escapism and a trip down memory lane. The enjoyment is taken from watching a safe, reliable story, when our reality can often feel neither of those things.
Films like Freakier Friday have value both to its original audience and an intergenerational appeal, especially for Gen Z who want to relive a Y2K nostalgia.
It doesn't need to reinvent the wheel to provide entertainment, but breathe fresh new life (usually in the form of great new cast members) into old material and do what it did best the first time round: in this case, let Lohan and Lee Curtis' undeniable chemistry shine.
Will nostalgic sequels like Freakier Friday sweep up accolades at award ceremonies? Doubtful. But they're certain to win over audiences and that's more than enough.
Freakier Friday is out now in cinemas.
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Jess is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for over-analysing everyone’s favourite movies and TV shows. As an English graduate from the University of York with an MA in Creative Writing, Jess worked as a magazine editor before turning freelance. Since then, Jess has written for outlets such as GQ, The Guardian, Inverse, Huff Post, Stylist, and Insider. She specialises in the representation of mental health, grief, and women in film. She’s also a major Marvel nerd and is writing a YA fantasy novel. LinkedIn
