Freaky Friday Creator Snubbed from Sequel: Director Says He “Raised His Hand”
Quinn Parker here, caffeinated and ready to spill the tea with the speed of a double espresso. Okay, so sit tight because this is juicy: Mark Waters, who directed the beloved 2003 Freaky Friday remake starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, revealed he wasn’t asked to return for the new sequel despite volunteering to help — and yes, several cast members apparently wondered where he was.
Mark Waters, now 61, told Variety on August 15 that he “was not invited to the party” when production on Freakier Friday began in 2024. Waters says he did put himself forward, offering to contribute in any capacity — even “in a kind of godfather aspect or executive producer.” But no invite came. The director role instead went to Nisha Ganatra, the filmmaker who stepped in to helm the sequel that reunited original stars Lohan, 39, and Curtis, 66.
Waters’ comments are tempered and supportive rather than salty. He told the outlet he’s “very supportive” of the returning cast and their effort to make a “great new movie.” Still, he admitted it would have been “nice” to be involved and that some of the cast actually reached out during filming asking, “Where the hell are you, Waters?” He answered with a sheepish, “I have not forsaken you! I’m sorry.”
Let’s give you the plot refresher while we’re caffeinated: Freakier Friday picks up 22 years after the original body-swap chaos between Anna Coleman (Lohan) and her mom Tess (Curtis). This time the swaps get even more tangled — Anna and Tess swap bodies again, but now Anna’s daughter Harper (Julia Butters) and soon-to-be stepdaughter Lily (Sophia Hammons) are dragged into the madness. Returning faces include Chad Michael Murray as Anna’s ex, Stephen Tobolowsky as teacher Mr. Elton, and Ryan Malgarini as Anna’s brother Harry. Production and casting choices put Ganatra in charge, while Waters watched from the sidelines, publicly supportive yet privately acknowledged he’d hoped to be part of it.
The sequel hit theaters August 8 and faced mixed reviews. Time magazine’s critical piece labeled the film as feeling like a cash-in on affection for the 2003 original, asserting that no one asked Disney for a sequel and that the new release primarily leaned on nostalgia. Jamie Lee Curtis didn’t stay quiet; she fired back in the comments section of that review, writing, “SEEMS a TAD HARSH,” and noting that “SOME people LOVE it. Me being one.”
Waters, known for helming hits like Mean Girls and Mr. Popper’s Penguins, framed the rejection philosophically: he’ll keep making original projects and let others remake his work decades from now. “You can’t worry about the projects that you don’t do,” he said, explaining how he compartmentalizes and moves forward creatively.
The takeaway? Waters was open to participating and surprised to be excluded, and at least a few cast members missed seeing the original director on set. The sequel’s mixed critical reception and the public back-and-forth from Jamie Lee Curtis only add spice to an already simmering pot of industry politics and nostalgia plays. Who gets invited to the party — and who doesn’t — remains a real backstage thrill.
Okay, I need to calm down after that!
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Variety, Time, New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
