If you’re eating your “Business Woman’s Special” or are folding clothes at your boutique, stop everything right now. Beloved cult classic Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is 20 years old. Feel old now? Geez, I still haven’t recuperated from my recent birthday and now, this.
The highly quotable movie starred Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as two high school outsiders and BFFs who attempt to re-invent themselves as successful businesswomen for their high school reunion. When they drop the pretense and true colors (I know, wrong Cyndi Lauper song reference) – as well as their unique fashion sense, they succeed in love and business, opening up their very own boutique.
The movie, which also starred Janeane Garofolo, the delightful Alan Cumming and a then-unknown Justin Theroux, was loved by audiences and earned over $29 million at the box office. Thanks to cable showings and DVDs, the film endures as a cult classic. The characters of Romy and Michele began as minor characters in a play called Ladies Room, written by Romy and Michele screenwriter Robin Schiff. And now they’ve gone full circle, as a musical adaptation of the film debuts on June 8 at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater. The book of the show, written by Schiff, follows the plot of the 1997 movie.
If the musical is a smash, would Mira and Lisa don their sparkly space dresses and revisit their characters for a sequel? Mira, who played Romy, told E! News that she would be “very excited” about the opportunity, adding, “I’ve wanted one for years! There’s been a lot of fan clamor for it—maybe it will finally happen now with all the different venues you can make movies for.” As for Lisa, her response didn’t exhibit as much excitement as her co-stars, telling E!, “Yeah, why not? I mean…if it makes sense for those two people to be around my age and see what’s going on.”
At one point in time a sequel was discussed, but Lisa told ABC News that she thought it would be a challenge to come up with a reason for us to care about these characters 20 years later. She pondered, “I don’t know what that would be. ‘Romy and Michele Get Divorced Again’? We talked about it that with Robin Schfif, but [the studio] just wasn’t interested.”
As for Robin, the screenwriter, she told E! “I really wasn’t even thinking of doing a sequel. But I thought, at least I should put some thought into it because of all this love coming the way of the movie…I would be an interesting challenge to try and solve.” And, just if a sequel were to be written, what would the 90s version of Mary and Rhoda be up to? Lisa told E! she hoped her character was still with sneaker millionaire Sandy Frink (Alan Cumming) and, as for her BFF, she added “Romy’s on husband number two or three, you know, because no relationship’s gonna be as good as Romy and Michele!”
Mira figures that the pair wouldn’t have changed much, assuming “They’d be kind of the same, just a little older, but still thinking they were younger and still thinking they were cool.” If Robin wrote a sequel, it would start with their boutique, because she feels the designing ladies “stayed really successful in their stores, and I think they’re designing clothes — and they’re good at it.” But, contrary to what Lisa thinks, Robin told Vanity Fair that she knows “for a fact Michele is not with Sandy,” adding, “That was a big mistake.”
Of course, this is all speculation right now, but I would like to take the opportunity to hope that “no” is the answer to the question posed in the headline. I LOVED Romy and Michele and, if given the chance, I’d probably go see the musical. But I don’t think I’d be on board for a sequel – even for such a much-loved original movie. I’ll leave you with this – Zoolander 2. Anchorman 2. Need I say more?
Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com
I love this movie but a sequel is unnecessary.
Yeah, no. Some things need to be left alone, it’s tempting but don’t do it!
This movie is SO underrated. My sister and I quote it at each other all the time.
Heather Mooney for the win.
Dunno about a sequel but I LOVED this movie, even know i watch it once or twice a year.
‘Have a “Romy and Michele” day!’
I invented Post-its.
I die. 😂
Ha! Now, let’s fold scarves.
No you didn’t.
Well who did then?
A guy named Art Fry from the 3-M Corp! Psh!
I never knew that Justin Theroux was the guy in the black hat until recently.
I love this movie. It’s such a guilty pleasure.
I didn’t connect ‘Cowboy’ with Justin until recently, either. I kept thinking he looked familiar.
This movie is definitely underrated and timeless (class reunions, cliques and perception versus reality).
This movie is right at the point before smartphones and social media. “Hey, if anyone needs to make a call, I’ve got a phone!”
Not sure how a sequel could come close to the original. They even touched on the future, in the dream sequence.
“I’m the Mary!”
I think it’s half of a good movie thanks to Sorvino’s lack of comedic chops. Such a forced, unfunny performance.
I agree, hated her voice in it. I never understood the appeal of this movie.
That’s the whole funny charm! If you didn’t love Mira, you don’t get it!
I’m onboard with a sequel, buuuut it had a kind of prequel with Katherine Hiegel which was crap!
Yes the prequel was AWFUL.
Love, love, love this movie. So fun and cute! I don’t think it needs a sequel.
Please no. Hollywood has already killed too many of my favorites with sequels and remakes and dragging out shows well beyond their expiration date.
Loved Romy and Michele. I vote no for a sequel or a reboot. Did they reboot this for tv? Some how I thought they did.
No!!! No remake. No prequel. No sequel. Just leave shit alone!!!
Its been 20 years since Romy and Michelle high school reunion ever if they do a sequels and a tv series spinoff that why I never seen it before let them come back in the sequel with cameo like lala Kent and Katie from vanderpump rules in their movie debut so let the Romy and Michelle adventure begin