Mean Girls Musical Movie Adaptation Looking For Director

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The Mean Girls movie musical adaptation of the Broadway hit is still searching for a director. The screenplay for the 2004 hit film was written by Tina Fey and she went on to pen the book for the musical adaptation of the film. Upon its release in 2004, Mean Girls was adored by fans and critics for its raunchy humor and harsh look at the vapid world of high school hierarchies. A sequel, Mean Girls 2, was released in 2011 without the original cast and is much less beloved than the original film.

While the Mean Girls musical failed to garner the same acclaim that the original movie did, it was much more well-received than the sequel. It was first announced in January 2020 that the Mean Girls musical would be heading to the big screen, but little had happened in the way of developments since then. Now, Fey has given an update on the status of the film, giving fans an inkling of hope.

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In an interview with Variety, Fey revealed that the hunt for a director is still on. The actress says that the adaptation is still in the early stages of development. As for if Fey would ever take on the role herself, she seems hesitant, saying she'd prefer to leave it to someone who knows what they're doing. Still, she remains excited about the potential of the adaptation, including who could be cast in the roles of The Plastics.

We’re still relatively early on. We’re looking for a director right now. The first time we had new actors play these roles [on Broadway], it was like breaking the seal, like, “Now these roles belong to more than one set of actors.” I’m excited to see who ends up being in the movie.

I’ve thought about [directing], but I really respect directors who think in pictures. The great thing about TV is that a showrunner can do hands-on stuff with the actors without having to think about the coverage or camera shots. I’ve always left it to people who it’s truly their calling. I never wanted to be a director that was there just to make sure people don’t paraphrase the script.

In the nearly two decades since Mean Girls originally hit theaters, a lot has changed. The pressures of updating the musical for the modern day are apparent. Some parts of Mean Girls have aged poorly, like the movie's outdated social politics and its lack of social media. To adapt it for the modern day would mean that Fey will have to change some things, but luckily she has proven herself adept at switching things up.

Fey ultimately may not have a hand in directing the movie, but she has worked on writing both the original film and the musical. Much of the praise for the Mean Girls musical was for Fey's updated jokes and she'll likely continue that hot streak in the film adaptation. Unfortunately, it seems the movie might be a long way off as the film is still looking for both its main cast and the behind the scenes players. Still, Fey has proven time and again that her projects are worth the wait and Mean Girls' musical movie could be no different.