Audiences found themselves warming the unique brand of humor that Mean Girls had and how it dared to let its female characters be bad. It wasn’t something common in movies at the time and sparked a trend that endured. Even the good girl character in the movie took a turn toward her dark side, marking a departure from the sweet, girly portrayals audiences were used to.

The success of Mean Girls was responsible for a string of compelling movies that the millennial generation grew up with. Some of those cult titles include Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30, and Bring It On. Despite these films coming out around the same time, they had a distinct common thread of humor and toughness. Bring It On even managed to break the stereotypes around cheerleading while offering genuine drama without mocking the cheerleader archetype.

Mean Girls and other titles of the same era stood out because they presented flawed but compelling heroines. Meanwhile, the role of romance wasn’t abandoned but was no longer the sole focus of the plot. In Mean Girls, in particular, it was very much secondary to the complex dynamics between the girls, and was even used by the characters for manipulation and intrigue.

The influence of titles like Mean Girls helped Hollywood experience a transformation in the portrayal of teen heroines and the acceptance of humor in female characters. The process was gradual, but the results were enduring. This fact is evident in the enthusiasm with which teens are discovering and enjoying the movie two decades after it came out.

It is notable and rather sad that despite many female-centered productions today, there is a notable absence of a contemporary counterpart to Mean Girls and the movies it inspired for the current generation. While the flick is still there for people to see, and its universal appeal shows in its continued popularity, there seems to be a noticeable void that needs to be filled by a new and authentic narrative.

There is a need for originality, and if and when a successor to this classic emerges, it should have a fresh perspective, carrying the spirit of the times and the unique voice of a new writer. Perhaps the new and renewed Mean Girls film will fill that role for the newer generations.

Timothée Chalamet, the acclaimed 27-year-old actor, is set to showcase his singing abilities in the anticipated Wonka film and the Bob Dylan biopic, The Complete Unknown. Surprisingly, Chalamet’s talent was not an unknown factor to the film’s director, Paul King. Due to an unexpected discovery from his high school days, Chalamet didn’t need to audition for the role of the beloved chocolate maker in the new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Not a single actor had to audition for the roles in the upcoming Wonka movie. Paul King was so certain about the decision to cast Timothée Chalamet as Wonka that it was a straight offer. King had encountered a video of Chalamet performing during his time at New York City’s Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art. The clip revealed his exceptional singing and dancing abilities, which left a lasting impression on the director. He recalls, “It was a straight offer because he’s great, and he was the only person in my mind who could do it.”

In high school, Chalamet had a musical alter ego named Lil Timmy Tim. His outstanding rapping skills made him go viral when a video of him performing a school assignment rap titled “Statistics” gained over 11 million views.

The video’s popularity took off after Ellen Degeneres showcased it on her talk show in 2017. With catchy lyrics like “Look at me it’s Timmy Tim, Botta hit ‘em with a Z-T-E-S-T. Let’s do a problem, let us see the probability you seeing me on TV,” Chalamet’s musical talent was impossible to ignore.

For the Wonka movie, Timothée recorded the film’s music at London’s Abbey Road Studios. The actor revealed that the film boasts no less than seven musical numbers. According to Chalamet, these music sequences are sincere and joyous, promising an unforgettable experience for the audience.

The all-star cast — including Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, and Jim Carter — adds to the anticipation for the film’s release on December 15th, 2023.