Tina Fey promises no more 'Mean Girls' iteration coming
Are we saying goodbye to the Plastics?
During a recent HISTORYTalks event in Philadelphia, Tina Fey, wrote the screenplay for Mean Girls, shared an update on the future of the franchise. Speaking with TV Guide Magazine senior writer Damian Holbrook, Fey reflected on the evolution of the franchise—from the original 2004 cult classic to the 2018 Broadway musical, and finally, the 2024 movie musical adaptation.
"We always, in every iteration, tried to honor the source material, which is like a sociology book about how to help girls through relational aggression and behaviors like that," Fey said.
"It's like, yes, everyone loves the Plastics. They have the best outfits. We don't want to emulate them, ultimately. We want to pay attention to the fact that their behavior does take them down," she added.
Despite the current wave of Hollywood nostalgia and the greenlighting of sequels like The Devil Wears Prada 2, Fey confirmed that the tank is officially empty for Cady Heron and Regina George.
"I promise there are no more iterations coming," Fey said.
She thinks that what "made that movie so lasting" is that every actor across every iteration, consistently imbues their characters with a profound, "3D humanity."
The franchise began with the 2004 film, starring Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron. She was joined by the "Plastics," Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert.
In 2011, Mean Girls 2 premiered as a sequel. While it returned to the halls of high school, it featured an entirely new ensemble including Meaghan Martin, Maiara Walsh, Jennifer Stone, and Claire Holt.
Then in 2018, it took over Broadway with a musical featuring original songs by Nell Benjamin and Jeff Richmond (Tina Fey’s husband). The stage production notably featured stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Reneé Rapp during its run.
The franchise came full circle in 2024 with a cinematic adaptation of the musical. Rapp returned as Regina George, joined by Angourie Rice as Cady, Auli'i Cravalho as Janis, and Christopher Briney as Aaron Samuels.
Fey and Tim Meadows provided a bridge to the original film by reprising their roles as Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall, while newcomers Busy Philipps, Jenna Fischer, and Jon Hamm joined the ensemble.
