Early Mean Girls box office projections have been released, suggesting a great start for the movie adaptation of the hit musical, which itself was based on the 2004 film.
Deadline has reported that the upcoming adaptation is projected to have a $27 million opening across the four-day MLK holiday. The outlet notes that this is indeed a solid start for a musical comedy aimed at women, particularly post-Covid. This is especially impressive given the film was originally set to be a Paramount+ movie, with the pivot to a theatrical release only being revealed this past September.
Mean Girls is directed by Arturo Perez and Samantha Jayne from a screenplay written by Fey, based on Fey’s Broadway musical adaptation of the 2004 movie. It stars Rapp as Regina George, Rice as Cady Heron, Auli’i Cravalho as Janis, Jaquel Spivey as Damian, Jenna Fischer as Ms. Heron, Busy Philipps as Mrs. George, Avantika as Karen, Mahi Alam as Kevin, Christopher Briney as Aaron Samuels, Bebe Wood as Gretchen Wieners, Ashley Park as Madame Park, Connor Ratliff as Mr. Rapp, and Jon Hamm as Coach Carr.
What is Mean Girls about?
“New student Cady Heron is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics,’ ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George and her minions Gretchen and Karen,” reads the synopsis. “However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels, she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis and Damian, she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.”
Mean Girls is set to debut in theaters on Friday, January 12.