Director Mark Waters, who’s behind the 2003 iconic flick Freaky Friday, has revealed that he was never asked back for its sequel, Freakier Friday, which just came out in August of 2025.
The director expressed his interest
Waters revealed that he expressed his interest in taking part in the sequel, but that he was not invited to direct it.
“Yeah, unfortunately, I was not invited to the party,” the 61-year-old told Variety in an interview published on Friday, August 15.
Waters wasn’t contacted about it
“I did raise my hand and say I’d love to be involved somehow, even in a kind of godfather aspect or executive producer,” Waters told the outlet.
“But I was not extended an initiation,” he added.
The sequel is picking up 22 years later
Waters’ 2003 movie Freaky Friday stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in a story where a mother and daughter wake up one Friday to find they had switched bodies.
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In the 2025 sequel, they switch happens again, this time involving the second generation in the family.
The sequel was directed by Nisha Ganatra
The director role for Freakier Friday ultimately went to Nisha Ganatra.
Despite not getting the role, Waters expressed that he was not disappointed by the situation, but even congratulated Lohan, Curtis, and other cast members returning for the sequel.
He showed them support
“I’m very supportive of them making a great new movie,” Waters told the outlet.
“It would have been nice to be involved, but now that I’m not, I sort of compartmentalize it for myself,” he added.
Cast members were also surprised that he didn’t return
The Mean Girls director also revealed that when production started, some cast members expressed their surprise that he wasn’t asked back for the sequel.
“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?’” he revealed. “I have not forsaken you! I’m sorry.”
Waters is not looking back
The director expressed that he’s not looking back now, saying, “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.”
