'Mean Girls' (2024) vs. 'Mean Girls' (2004)

Mean Girls for the Next Generation

A surprise trailer for a Mean Girls adaptation dropped on November 9, 2023 - a day before the SAG-AFTRA strike officially ended, and just in time to publicly advertise the upcoming film.

“This isn’t your mother’s Mean Girls,” according to the trailer. Naturally, this statement received backlash online - how could anyone living as a teenager in 2004 possibly be old enough to have kids that same age today? But there is some truth to this claim; Mean Girls (2024) will release exactly 20 years after the 2004 version - an entire generation later.

While the 2004 version - starring Lindsey Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and more - holds up as a reflection of the times. And now, it will do the same once again, only for Gen-Z audiences. It’s not a direct adaption, instead based on the Broadway play (2018-2020) and stars rising Gen-Z actress, Renee Rapp, who will be reprising her role as Regina George.

But one thing that remains the same is Tina Fey (and Tim Meadows). Portraying high school teacher Ms. Norbury in both films, Fey has notably written and/or produced both the 2004 movie and Broadway play. As Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) tells Liz Lemon (Fey) in 30 Rock, she has won an award for “Best Actress in a Movie based on a play based on a movie.” How prophetic.

Perhaps Fey can win an award for a franchise she has spent so many years apart of. Maybe the new Mean Girls will turn out differently, resonating with the next generation of viewers. Hopefully, it will be just as entertaining and adhere to the musical elements that were missing in the trailer.

Regardless, Mean Girls 2.0 is here. Who is in the new cast? Where have we seen them before?

Let’s start with familiar faces:

Ms. Norbury (Tina Fey) & and Principal Duvall (Tim Meadows)

Now, for the new ones:

Cady Heron

Previously: Lindsay Lohan

Now: Angourie Rice (Mare of Eastown, Spider-Man trilogy, Honor Society)

Regina George

Previously: Rachel McAdams

Now: Renee Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls, Mean Girls on Broadway)

Gretchen Weiners

Previously: Lacey Chabert

Now: Bebe Wood (The New Normal, Love Victor)

Karen Smith (Now Karen Shetty)

Previously: Amanda Seyfried

Now: Avantika Vandanapu (Diary of a Future President, Senior Year)

Aaron Samuels

Previously: Jonathan Bennett

Now: Christopher Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty)

Janice Ian (Now Janice ‘Imi’ike)

Previously: Lizzy Caplan

Now: Auli’i Cravalho (Moana)

Damian Leigh (Now Damien Hubbard)

Previously: Daniel Franszee

Now: Jaquel Spivey (A Strange Loop)

Ms. Betsy Heron

Previously: Ana Gasteyer

Now: Jenna Fischer (The Office)

Mrs. George

Previously: Amy Poehler

Now: Busy Phillips (White Chicks, He’s Just Not That Into You, I Feel Pretty)

Coach Carr

Previously: Dwayne Hill

Now: Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

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Mean Girls (2024) is scheduled to be released on January 11, 2024.