On March 24, Netflix announced that they will be producing a reboot of the cult-classic 2004 rom-com, 13 Going on 30, starring Emily Bader and Logan Lerman. In response to news about the reboot, the pair has received widespread praise on an individual level and has even been considered a great romantic casting choice.
The issue, however, lies in the decision to remake such a beloved movie in the first place, with many fans calling this unnecessary and evidence of the film industry’s lack of creativity. On the other hand, a smaller subset of fans is excited to see Bader and Lerman breathe new life into the rom-com.
Let’s unpack the reasons behind this distress over reboots in general and why people are especially protective of the ancient texts, with 13 Going on 30 being the latest victim of the remake fad.
thirty, flirty, and… running out of ideas?
The classic rom-com responsible for this pop culture upheaval follows the story of a young girl waking up in her future 30-year-old body. Jennifer Garner plays Jenna’s older counterpart, who steals the show for most of the film’s runtime. Her love interest, Matt Flamhaff, is played by Mark Ruffalo. Credit is also due to the two child actors, Christa B. Allen and Sean Marquette, who play the young versions of Jenna and Matt before the wacky, fairy-dust-induced time slip.
More than just a comfort film, 13 Going on 30 bottles up the feeling of nostalgia and the grief of growing up too fast, something we can all resonate with in our own ways. As a result, the film is a timeless, magical experience that has the special ability to remain relevant across upcoming generations. I myself was not yet born at the time of its release, but something about a montage of a visit home set to the soothing ballad of “Vienna” by Billy Joel evokes a certain sadness you just can’t help but relate to (especially for college kids who live far from home). So, if this is a movie that will stand the test of time, why does it need a remake?
Garner is set to serve as executive producer on the new project, and People We Meet on Vacation director Brett Haley will also take part in the reboot. Haley told Deadline that Garner’s inclusion in this new rendition is “especially meaningful,” considering the magic she brought to the original film. Haley is also enthusiastic about Lerman and Bader’s combined talents. Bader recently rose to popularity after the release of the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation in January, but she has previously worked on the television show My Lady Jane. Lerman has been a recognizable face throughout Gen Z’s childhood and teenage years in movies such as the Percy Jackson series, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and most recently, Oh Hi!.
Interestingly, even with these stars, what has the public more intrigued is their role in the reboot, the timing where the movie takes place, and why the rest of the cast has not been revealed yet.
attitudes towards reboots
In recent years, reboots have become a huge cultural moment. From Disney live-action remakes to classic stories being reimagined left and right, you start to wonder if everyone is collectively running out of ideas. However, wonderful and innovative movies are still being made; they just aren’t exactly being funded by the money-hungry production companies.
In the case of 13 Going on 30, critics of the reboot argue that it’s unnecessary, with some even claiming it ruins the original. While some of these comments—which appear under almost every post about the reboot—may seem drastic, fans have had enough of their favorite movies being remade for seemingly no reason. A large number of commenters are fed up with the stream of endless reboots we’ve received over the past decade. One commenter under a Variety post says, “I love both actors, love the movie, but with so many excellent books to adapt, why are we remaking everything?” Meanwhile, another commenter expresses that while we don’t need the film adaptation, they will “take joy wherever [they] can get it these days.”
Another creator points out that romcoms have been thriving creatively lately with releases like Eternity, but resorting to reboots throws a wrench in that evolution. We look back at rom-coms from the ’80s through the 2000s with such admiration and nostalgia, so I wish we could create a fresh batch of films for generations after ours to admire in the same sense.
While recreation is not always a bad thing, it continues to shape attitudes towards the original work and will always be part of the conversation as time goes on. Many of us may be able to sit through the remake with a smile on our faces and love for the concept, but others will find it difficult to cease comparing each moment to the original. Therefore, the outlook on reboots is personal and specific to one’s relationship to the first movie.
Personally, I will be seated for the release of the 13 Going on 30 reboot with both speculation and excitement for the cast. Knowing that Garner is still running the show, I have hope that this rendition will retain some of the magic and heart of the 2004 version. Hopefully, the film will also live up to the masterpiece that inspired it, if not in tone, then in the sheer talent of Bader and Lerman. Until then, we can expect discourse online to blow up as the cast begins to roll out and new details are uncovered.