Five Noughties Films That Deserve a Sequel
Nostalgia has been all the rage for the past few years. Whether that’s down to the pandemic giving us extra downtime to reminisce over days-gone-by, or the fact that most of us are nostalgic for an era that we actually remember for the first time, the noughties have re-circulated popular culture once again. And nothing quite beats the films that were released during the 2000s, that allow us to relive the days of the velour tracksuit without moving an inch.
Many films tend to capitalise on their success by immediately bringing out a sequel. Most of the time, they do not live up to the sky-scraping standards set by Shrek 2. In fact, the majority of sequels are best left forgotten, and some of the best films of the 2000s saw the value in leaving quality untouched. But with Legally Blonde 3 slated for a 2022 release, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate these decisions. The love for nostalgia has caused the entertainment industry to pounce on our fixation with the past, and here are a few nostalgic classics they need to add to their belated sequels list.
Mean Girls
With the news of Lindsay Lohan returning to the screen in 2022, it seems fitting to kick things off with everyone’s favourite high-school comedy classic. The film is a stand-alone cinematic masterpiece, and yes, maybe that means that it should be left alone. But I’m desperate to know what the plastics are getting up to these days! From a storyline perspective, it might not make the most sense. Why any of them would want to stick around is questionable, but that’s someone else’s job to figure out. Writer Tina Fey saw success when she adapted Mean Girls into a hit Broadway musical, and a movie adaption has been given the green light! She even referred to the characters as her ‘Marvel Universe’. Goodbye, MCU. Hello, MGU. At this point, the potential of a Mean Girls spin-off in some capacity feels inevitable.
Princess Diaries
It might already have a sequel, but two films just aren’t enough, especially when we’re talking about the most iconic fairytale franchise ever. Netflix’s A Christmas Prince got three movies in three years, so it’s only fair that the Princess Diaries 3 comes to life. Queen Julie Andrews confirmed that she would be up for a sequel, so it’s time for everyone else to get on board, too. Anne Hathaway revealed in 2019 that a script exists, and she is just as enthusiastic about returning to the franchise as Andrews is! The pair don’t want the film to happen unless it’s perfect, assuring us that any potential future project will be worth the wait. Slowly but surely, the pieces are falling into place, and hopefully, it won’t be too long until we’re all on the first available flight back to Genovia.
Bend it Like Beckham
Did Jess become an international football sensation? Did she finally ditch Joe for Jules like she should have done in the film’s finale? These questions demand answers. Keira Knightley herself declared that a conclusion where the girls ended up together would have been amazing and that ‘we need a sequel’. Their chemistry was off the charts, and the film proved almost too relatable for those who found themselves falling in love with their best friends, only to deeply bury those feelings because of both external and internalised homophobia. It’s not too late to rectify one of cinema’s greatest sins and provide us with the queer classic football film we were so tragically deprived of.
The Devil Wears Prada
At this point, I feel like I’m just asking Anne Hathaway to revisit her entire noughties filmography, but she literally never misses! The literary sequel to the 2006 novel was hugely successful, but a film sequel just never came to fruition. Miranda Priestly is one of the most quotable characters of all time, but actress Meryl Streep has never been enthusiastic about a sequel. She revealed that the process of playing the villain was “horrible” and the experience made her vow to never go Method again. My personal hopes of an Emily Charlton spin-off were squashed by Emily Blunt, who said, “I think sometimes when you sequel everything kind of dilutes how special the original is.” But the novel’s author, Lauren Weisberger, said that there have been conversations about a potential TV series or sequel, so don’t let the dream die just yet!
Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday is one of those films that keeps getting re-made with different casts, but the 2003 version with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis demands a sequel. In 2017, Lohan publicised that she is eager to make sequels to a few of her greatest hits, including Mean Girls, Freaky Friday and, Herbie: Fully Loaded. The bizarre body-swap comedy saw polar opposite mother-daughter duo grow to respect and empathise with one another after they literally stepped in each other’s shoes. The chemistry between Lohan and Curtis was wonderful, and the possibilities for a follow-up are endless. We’d love to know if Anna and Jake lived happily ever after, and of course whether or not Pink Slip made it big- Spotify please let us stream Take Me Away ASAP!
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