Fans of "Mean Girls" got a glimpse of the newest iterations of Regina George and her army of Plastics with the release of the trailer for the upcoming movie musical.
The film, which was initially slated to stream solely on Paramount+, will premiere in theaters Jan. 12. It is based on the Broadway musical that was inspired by the 2004 film of the same name. Upper Darby-native Tina Fey, who wrote the musical and original movie, also wrote this project.
MORE: ‘Mean Girls’ cast reunites for Walmart’s new Black Friday commercial
The trailer, which Paramount released Wednesday, shows Reneé Rapp — a singer and actress who stars in "The Sex Lives of College Girls" on Max — reprising her role as George after playing the character on Broadway. Protagonist Cady Heron, played by "Mare of Easttown" actress Angourie Rice, also is prominently featured in the clip as the naive new girl who must adopt a wardrobe of pink after falling in with George's clique.
"You could be really hot... if you change, like, everything," Rapp ominously warns during the trailer.
The video shows well-known props like the burn book and scenes like the Halloween party and Christmas talent show, along with many characters fans know and love. If the trailer is any indication, the film will feature vicious drama, elaborate musical numbers and allusions to the social media-powered world that teens live in today.
"This isn't your mother's 'Mean Girls,'" promises the trailer.
The movie musical is the latest installation in Fey's raunchy teen comedy franchise, and the "Saturday Night Live" alum has been working on bringing it to the screen since at least 2020.
The original 2004 "Mean Girls" movie follows Heron (Lindsay Lohan) as she attempts to navigate high school cliques after being homeschooled in Africa for years. All hell breaks loose when she falls in with teen queen George (Rachel McAdams) and her group of perfectly polished Plastics, which includes Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried) and Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert). Fey appeared in the film as teacher Ms. Norbury.
Following the success of the movie, Fey brought the premise to Broadway in 2018. The musical has been nominated for Tony Awards and boasts a soundtrack of original songs. It is currently touring North America and made a stop in Philly last month.
"Mean Girls" drama has leaked into real-life for Fey. Rosalind Wiseman — author of the book "Queen Bees and Wannabes," which is the source material for the "Mean Girls" movie — has said she is considering legal action against Fey. Wiseman claims she has not seen any money since selling the film rights despite her contract including net profits from the franchise.
Nevertheless, the newest "Mean Girls" project completed filming last April in Middletown, Monmouth County, where Mater Dei High School was transformed into the fictional North Shore High School.
Along with Rapp, the 2024 movie musical includes several other familiar faces. Ashley Park, who played Gretchen Wieners on Broadway, will appear in the new film as a French teacher, according to the trailer. Fey and Tim Meadows, who played Principal Duvall in the 2004 movie, will reprise their roles from the original film.
The trailer offers no spoilers on whether any other original cast members make appearances in the new movie, but the actresses who played the original Plastics clique (McAdams, Lohan, Seyfried and Chabert) have said they would gladly return for a cameo. Lohan, Seyfried and Chabert recently reunited for Walmart's new Black Friday campaign.
Rice is not the only person stepping into the "Mean Girls" world for the first time. The movie musical features Christopher Briney, Avantika Vandanapu, Bebe Wood, Busy Philipps, Jenna Fischer and Jon Hamm. Heron's first friends at North Shore High School, hilarious outcasts Janis and Damian, will be played by Auli'i Cravalho and Jaquel Spivey.
Watch the full trailer below:
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