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In 2003, Disney\u2019s \u201cFreaky Friday,\u201d the Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan body-swap comedy about a mom and daughter magically switching lives for a day, became an instant early-2000s staple. It opened to $22.2 million at the domestic box office and went on to earn $110.2 million in North America and $160.849 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo<\/a>. The comedy debuted behind the action film \u201cS.W.A.T.,\u201d which launched with $37 million<\/a> that same weekend.<\/p>\n Fast forward 22 years: the 2025 sequel \u201cFreakier Friday\u201d hit theaters this past weekend, pulling in $29 million domestically, per Box Office Mojo<\/a>. Overseas, Deadline<\/a> reports the movie earned $15.5 million, bringing its global opening to $44.5 million. Still, the sequel faced competition \u2014 its box-office debut trailed the horror-mystery \u201cWeapons,\u201d which scared up $42.5 million<\/a> domestically.<\/p>\n This time around, Curtis and Lohan are joined by a mix of new faces, with the plot expanding beyond one family\u2019s switcheroo to include a multigenerational twist. Disney<\/a> leaned into nostalgia-heavy marketing, reuniting the stars for interviews and social media clips while teasing callbacks to memorable moments from the first film.<\/p>\n Critics have been largely positive, as the Deseret News<\/a> previously reported, though not everyone is on board.<\/p>\n A recent Time social media post<\/a> quoted critic Stephanie Zacharek\u2019s take, \u201cno one, as far as we know, actually asked Disney for a sequel to 2003\u2019s buoyant, surprisingly unsyrupy generation-gap comedy \u2018Freaky Friday,\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The post continued, \u201cUgly costumes, humiliating scenarios, and zero added value \u2014 this is a sequel with the sole purpose of cashing in on the fondness people have for the original movie and nothing more.\u201d<\/p>\n Curtis was quick to respond to the criticism in the post\u2019s comments writing, \u201cSEEMS a TAD HARSH. SOME people LOVE it. Me being one.\u201d<\/p>\n And audiences seem to be on her side. \u201cFreakier Friday\u201d currently sits at 73% on Rotten Tomatoes<\/a> from critics, but a 93% audience score, suggesting that, just like in the original, sometimes moms (and kids) really do know what\u2019s best.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s the nostalgia factor, the star power of Curtis or simply the enduring appeal of watching kids switch lives with their mom or grandma, \u201cFreakier Friday\u201d shows there\u2019s still appeal in the formula.<\/p>\n \u201cFreakier Friday\u201d may not have topped the weekend charts, but with strong audience scores and a bigger opening than the 2003 original, the sequel has already flipped expectations, and maybe even a few critics\u2019 minds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n