No remake is more appropriate than a remake about someone at one age suddenly transported into another time and place, where they live for a time in a different body than the one they’re used to. Now we can all share in that sense of disorientation watching a new version of 13 Going on 30. “13 Going on 30? Didn’t that come out in, like, 2004? What year is it?!?”
It’s 2026, and it did come out in 2004. But now there’s a 13 Going on 30 remake in the works, it‘s coming out again on Netflix in an update for the streaming age. The original film starred Jennifer Garner, as the grown-up version of the main character, a 13-year-old girl who wakes up 17 years in her own future as her adult self with no idea how she got there or what she’s supposed to do with herself.
Garner can’t play 30 anymore, but she is still involved as an executive producer. The new stars are Emily Bader and Logan Lerman. Brett Haley, of People We Met on Vacation, is directing the new 13 Going on 30.
Among the reasons people love the original film: This famous scene where Garner and co-star Mark Ruffalo do the dance from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
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Here was Haley’s comment on the project, via Variety:
13 Going on 30 is one of those rare, perfect films. Funny, emotional, deeply human, with unforgettable performances from Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo and Judy Greer. I’m a longtime fan, so stepping into this reimagining comes with tremendous responsibility. Jennifer Garner being on board as an executive producer, after playing such a big part of what made the original special, is especially meaningful.
Again, look for this new 13 Going on 30 down the line on Netflix.
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