Why ‘Freaky Friday’ Director Wasn’t Involved in the Long-Awaited Sequel originally appeared on Parade.
Freakier Friday sees the highly anticipated returns of Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, in addition to other familiar faces from the 2003 classic. Chad Michael Murray, Stephen Tobolowsky and Ryan Malgarini reprised their roles, so it’s a fun little reunion in front of the camera.
But what about behind the lens?
Putting on the director’s hat this time around was Nisha Ganatra, taking over for Freaky Friday director Mark Waters. In a new interview with Variety published this week, the filmmaker, 61, shared new insight about why he wasn’t involved with Freakier Friday, which is now playing in theaters.
“Unfortunately, I was not invited to the party,” said Waters. “I did raise my hand and say I’d love to be involved somehow, even in a kind of godfather aspect or executive producer. But I was not extended an invitation.”
The director continued, “I’m very supportive of them making a great new movie. It would have been nice to be involved but now that I’m not, I sort of compartmentalize it for myself. I need to devote my energy to keep making new, original things that are going to be hits and people can remake them in 20 years. So that’s what I’m doing now. You can’t worry about the projects that you don’t do. It certainly would have been fun, and I heard from quite a few cast members while they were shooting, saying, ‘Where the hell are you, Waters?’ I have not forsaken you! I’m sorry.”
Waters also revealed in the Variety interview that he had never developed his own Freaky Friday 2 idea over the past two decades. He also commended the vast work of Curtis, 66, who finally won an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All at Once but, as Waters shared, should have been recognized by the Academy for other acclaimed films — in addition to Freaky Friday, of course.
“A Fish Called Wanda and True Lies,” Waters told Variety. “She’s an actress who never got recognized for these terrific performances.”
Why ‘Freaky Friday’ Director Wasn’t Involved in the Long-Awaited Sequel first appeared on Parade on Aug 16, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
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