Back in 2004, when “Mean Girls” was released, we got to witness Lindsay Lohan’s pre-substance abuse era in all its glory. The Tina Fey-created teen drama resonated with not only Americans but also became popular around the globe. Cut to 2024, the reboot is meaner than the original and its new avatar — a musical comedy. However, the Saturday Night Live writer confirms the setting and characters belong to the old universe itself.

You Can Call It Multiverse: Tina Fey

While disclosing that the new film is of the same universe as the original movie, Tina Fey reveals a secret. “It is like the new Spider-Man, like a multiverse,” the former Golden Globes host confesses, “but I haven’t seen them, so I don’t know if that applies here.” The writer of the cult hit requested not to look too closely, though. “I wouldn’t look at it with a microscope.”

The music-less state of the old flick is gone, and here enters a song-and-dance routine-filled teen drama. But, the classic that introduced a whole lot of slang terms and phrases leaves its mark on the reboot. Just as the original changed the state of the cultural zeitgeist forever, this reinvention, too, aims to do the same. 

Extension of Characters

Seems like the whole setting and characters leap in time as most of the roles remain intact. In the Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams film, Tina Fey plays Ms Norbury, the Math teacher. Fey reprises the role in the new one, and Tim Meadows returns as the school principal and Norbury’s husband. 

All in all, the acclaimed screenwriter managed to retain the same charm and essence. Speaking of that, Tina Fey says that many of her friends have been in the teaching profession for many years. “So, when Paramount asked me to play the same role, I could get my head around the idea. We would still be there without breaking the universe.”

However, the new “Mean Girls” would have the same names as before, such as Cady Heron and Regina George. Moreover, you can spot a lot of similarities between the patterns happening in the two movies. Also, Avantika Vandanapu, the child actress from Mahesh Babu’s Telugu film “Brahmotsavam” and Disney’s “Spin” transforms into Karen Shetty in this Hollywood rehash.