Mean Girls is back in theaters. But this isn't the classic 2004 teen comedy with Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams. The film is a retelling of the stage musical.
However, you wouldn't necessarily know that from a movie's trailer. Promotions showed only a few bits of singing and dancing, and the film was supposed to be a straight comedy like the original (many have classified the film as a remake).
Some viewers have shared their confusion on social media about why the film wasn't sold as a musical, and Mark Weinstock, Paramount's president of global marketing and distribution, has now confirmed that the studio will promote the film. He told Variety magazine about the intentional way he did it.
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“We didn't want to rush into saying this is a musical because people tend to treat musicals differently,” he said.
“The film is a broad comedy with music. Yes, it can be considered a musical, but it appeals to a wider audience. [trailers for] Neither Wonka nor The Color Purple are called musicals. ”
He continued, “The title has a musical note in it, so it's not too pushy and contains hints.''
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Weinstock also talked about how her initial “This isn't your mother's mean girl” tagline backfired a bit, saying, “People kind of misunderstood it and got mad at me. All they wanted to say was that this is a new development.”
“People took it literally. 'What do you mean? I'm not a mother!' We went away from that and went for 'a new twist on Tina Fey.'
“This is her vision and it’s amazing.”
“Mean Girls” is currently showing in theaters.
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