Two decades after their bodies first swapped on screen, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are returning for Freaky Friday 2, aka Freakier Friday, Disney‘s highly anticipated sequel to their 2003 hit film. The project, which entered production in June 2024, promises an updated twist on the beloved story when it arrives in theaters on Aug. 8, 2025.
The Road to Revival
The sequel’s progress began with Curtis championing its potential during her Halloween Ends promotional tour. “As I went around the world with Halloween Ends, people wanted to know if there was going to be another Freaky Friday. Something really touched a chord,” Curtis told The New York Times. “When I came back, I called my friends at Disney and said, ‘It feels like there’s a movie to be made.’”
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Lohan quickly expressed her support for the project: “Jamie and I are both open to that, so we’re leaving it in the hands that be. We would only make something that people would absolutely adore.”
In March 2024, Lohan confirmed the project was moving forward during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live with a simple “It is,” adding, “I don’t want to say too much… We’re both excited! I’m gonna speak for Jamie.”
Curtis’s enthusiasm led to a direct appeal to Disney CEO Bob Iger. “Because of that real interest around the world, when I got back home, I called Bob Iger. I said, ‘Bob, I’m telling you, people want it.’ That’s how it began,” Curtis revealed at San Diego Comic-Con, adding “It’s different and beautiful and fun and funny. It hits every note. It’s going to be amazing… last night I was 15 in downtown LA, jumping a 1969 Camaro. Literally last night, at the end of the day as the sun set in downtown Los Angeles, I was jumping a 69 Camaro as a 15-year-old… it’s awesome.”
Cast: Returning Favorites and New Additions
The sequel reunites much of the original cast, with Lohan and Curtis reprising their roles as Anna and Tess Coleman. Additional returning cast members include:
- Mark Harmon as Ryan
- Chad Michael Murray as Jake (who still has his motorcycle, as confirmed by set photos)
- Christina Vidal Mitchell as Maddie
- Haley Hudson as Peg
- Lucille Soong as Pei-Pei’s mom
- Stephen Tobolowsky as Mr. Bates
- Rosalind Chao as Pei-Pei
The new generation of characters will be portrayed by:
- Julia Butters
- Sophia Hammons
- Manny Jacinto (confirmed to play Anna’s husband)
- Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Lohan praised her new co-star Jacinto, telling Entertainment Weekly, “Manny is lovely, so funny.”
Plot Details: A Multi-Generational Switch
While specific plot details remain closely guarded, Disney has revealed the basic premise: “The film picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.”
The story introduces Anna’s 14-year-old daughter Harper Coleman, described as “a teen surfer with California vibes with a sharp sense of humor [who’s] in a bit of a mood these days because her longtime single mom is set to marry British restaurateur Eric Davies.” According to Entertainment Weekly, Anna plans to move to London with her soon-to-be husband, which causes tension with Tess.
The plot reportedly involves a double body swap, with Anna switching with her daughter Harper while Tess exchanges places with Eric’s 14-year-old daughter Lily. The tension between the soon-to-be stepsisters adds complexity to the story, as “Harper and Lily do not see eye to eye. Harper would like to see things go her way and use her intelligence to stop this marriage from ever happening.”
Production Updates
Production officially commenced on June 24, 2024, in Los Angeles, marked by Disney releasing a photo of Curtis and Lohan posing outside their trailers in a callback to their original roles. The promotional photo shows Curtis and Lohan recreating their iconic dynamic by posing together and holding hands, mirroring their body-swapped characters, with a mature Lohan and a rocking Curtis.
Creative Team
Nisha Ganatra, known for Late Night and The High Note, directs the sequel from a script by Jordan Weiss. While Elyse Hollander wrote an early draft, Weiss’s script reportedly brought the “multigenerational approach to the story.”
The production team includes:
- Andrew Gunn (original film’s producer)
- Kristin Burr
- Jamie Lee Curtis as co-producers
- Nathan Kelly
- Ann Marie Sanderlin
- Lindsay Lohan as executive producers
The Stars’ Enthusiasm
Both leading ladies have expressed excitement about reuniting. “It’s more fun, it’s more emotional, and it’s all for you guys,” Lohan told fans at Disney’s D23. “Seriously, the only reason we are back here doing this because of your love. That is why.”
Curtis has been particularly vocal about her vision for the sequel since 2022. During an appearance on The View, she pitched her concept: “Let me be the grandma, let me be the old grandma who switches places, so then Lindsay gets to be the sexy grandma who’s still happy with Mark Harmon in all the ways you would be happy with Mark Harmon… I would like to see Lindsay be the hot grandma, and I would like to see me try to deal with toddlers today. I want to be a helicopter parent in today’s world.”
In March 2024, Curtis made her enthusiasm clear by posting a reunion photo with Lohan on Instagram, tagging Disney and Disney Studios with the caption, “DUH! FFDEUX!”
Release Strategy
Unlike earlier reports suggesting a streaming release, Disney has confirmed Freakier Friday will receive a theatrical release on Aug. 8, 2025. The studio announced the date alongside a recreation of the classic screaming photo featuring Curtis and Lohan.
Franchise History
The 2003 Freaky Friday marked the third adaptation of Mary Rodgers’s 1972 novel, becoming a major box office success and pop culture classic.
The upcoming film represents a chance to bridge generations, both on and off-screen. With the original cast members returning alongside fresh faces, Freakier Friday aims to capture the magic that made the first film a cultural phenomenon while speaking to a new generation of viewers.
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