Mean Girls: The Musical shifts from streaming release to theaters

Mean Girls: The Musical was initially developed for a streaming debut on Paramount+, but the studio has now decided to give the movie a theatrical release. Mean Girls: The Musical will hit theaters on January 12, 2024.

Paramount pulled a similar move last year with Smile, a horror movie also developed for the streaming service before positive test screenings led them to release it in theaters. That proved to be the right choice, as the movie went on to gross over $200 million with a sequel on the way. Paramount must be hoping for a repeat of that success by pushing the release of Mean Girls: The Musical to theaters.

Mean Girls: The Musical stars Angourie Rice, Auliʻi Cravalho, Reneé Rapp, Jaquel Spivey, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, and Jon Hamm. Tina Fey and Tim Meadows have also reprised their roles from the original film as Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall.

Mean Girls: The Musical was directed by Arturo Perez Jr. and Samantha Jayne from a screenplay by Tina Fey, who also wrote the original movie as well as the stage musical of the same name. The movie features music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin.

“I’m very excited to bring ‘Mean Girls’back to the big screen,” said Tina Fey when Mean Girls: The Musical was first announced. “It’s been incredibly gratifying to see how much the movie and the musical have meant to audiences. I’ve spent sixteen years with these characters now. They are my Marvel Universe and I love them dearly.” Lorne Michaels, who produced the project alongside Tina Fey, added, “It has been a joy to work on ‘Mean Girls’ and to watch it go from film, to musical, and now to musical film. I am very proud that Tina’s story and characters continue to resonate with new generations. We are all excited to continue to work with Sonia Friedman and her team as we prepare for London.“