If you are of a certain age (and THN is definitely of a certain age), five years before teen movie history was made by MEAN GIRLS, a geeky girl’s transformation from ugly to beautiful in ninety minutes was the video you watched at every sleepover possible. Zack Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) was the ultimate big screen heartthrob – he was the most popular boy in school AND he had a thoughtful side to boot, brought out by soon-to-be-beautiful Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook). The storyline had universal appeal, the cast was full of future stars (seriously, check out IMDB for the full list but Paul Walker, Matthew Lillard, Anna Paquin, Kieran Culkin, Gabrielle Union…), the soundtrack instantly memorable and the script witty and on point.
Fast forward to 2015 and the death of original filmmaking ideas means that production company Miramax, who released the original in 1999, are teaming up with The Weinstein Company to try and recapture some of the magic which allowed the film to make more than $100 million at box offices worldwide. Director Kenny Leon has just one previous feature film under his belt and this will be producer Tonya Lewis Lee’s first major project.
We’ve been racking our brains as to whether we can find any positive spin to put on this news and actually, casting dependent, this could be the chance for several up and coming actors to break out onto the mainstream. Freddie Prinze Jr. had a couple of horror movies under his belt before SHE’S ALL THAT but it was his role as Zack that cemented him as an established lead actor. So far our brainstorming sessions have thrown up Michael B. Jordan (FRUITVALE STATION), Nat Wolff (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), Max Irons (THE RIOT CLUB) and, if you are ever going to accept him in anything other than BOYHOOD, Ellar Coltrane. As for a female lead, we’re starting the ball rolling with Erin Moriarty (True Detective, KINGS OF SUMMER), Liana Liberato (IF I STAY) and Mackenzie Davis (Halt and Catch Fire).
With a remake of a film such as SHE’S ALL THAT, there’s a real chance for the filmmakers to bring a great story to a whole new generation (let’s not forget the film itself is based on ‘Pygmalion‘). Fingers crossed they do it with love.
Source: Tracking Board
