A Freaky Friday musical is in the works at Disney Channel!
The network made the announcement on Friday (September 29), one day after announcing a Hocus Pocus reboot.
So far, there have been two Freaky Friday films based on the 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers, with the most recent one starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis as a mother-daughter duo who magically swap bodies and have 24 hours to make things right before mom’s big wedding.
The new musical will be based on the stage adaptation made famous by Broadway stars Heidi Blickenstaff and Emma Hunton late last year.
Heidi will reprise her role in the film version, and she will be joined by Cozi Zuehlsdorff of the Dolphin Tale films.
The cast also includes Ricky He, Alex Désert, Jason Maybaum, Kahyun Kim, Dara R. Moss, Jennifer LaPorte, Isaiah Lehtinen, and Sarah Willey. Steve Carr will direct and executive produce, while Pulitzer- and Tony-winning composers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey are on board as well.
Heidi has previously starred in musicals like Something Rotten and The Little Mermaid, and Cozi is also known for her role in Liv and Maddie.
Production will begin this fall for a 2018 premiere.
“A classic story like Freaky Friday has a magical capacity to engage multiple generations – whether it’s in the form of a book, a theatrical film, a stage show – or all of the above,” said Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Channels Worldwide. “Working with our partners at Disney Live Theatrical, we’re thrilled to bring this classic story to life in a whole new form – a music-driven movie for television.”
