7 Worthwhile Podcasts for Oscars 2019 Picks and Predictions

Is the band Pink Slip going to be in Freaky Friday 2?

Anna's pop-rock teen band, Pink Slip, is undoubtedly integral to the plot of the original Freaky Friday, and thankfully, we'll see the band again in Freakier Friday! (Can we get some performances of “Take Me Away” and “Ultimate"?!). "Pink Slip is back together, the band. Yes!” Lindsay Lohan told Jimmy Fallon. “We just finished [filming] in August. It’s just been such a labor of love to make happen. And Jamie [Lee Curtis] and I, even at the table read, we were just smiling so big. I don’t think we were acting well, because we were so happy. But the movie’s funny, it’s really funny.”

"I may or may not have gotten to go to set and been around some pink slip energy," writer Jordan Weiss told me while promoting Sweethearts. "It may or may not have excited my inner child beyond belief because I was a super fan. I was 10 years old when the first movie came out. So 20 years later to get to work on the sequel as part of that team was a dream and, you know, don't meet your heroes unless your heroes are Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, In which case they're amazing. Meet your heroes."

Before the confirmation, a fewFreaky Friday crew members spilled on whether or not we'll actually see the angsty band in the sequel in an interview with Cosmopolitan.

Screenwriter Heather Hach clearly agreed that the soundtrack played a huge part in the movie's plot. "You take out the band element and I don’t think Freaky Friday would be as popular as it is," she said. "It didn’t feel like a derpy Disney movie. The music was actually really good."

Jaclyn Pearson, PHD, the drummer for the band Lash (who wrote the ever-iconic song "Take Me Away"), teased that Freaky Friday 2 might revisit their discography. "We contacted our record label because we heard there might be a sequel," she said. "We’ve got this whole back catalog. Maybe they could use another song for the film."

Producer Andrew Gunn seemed to suggest the same thing: "We got a draft of a script for the sequel right before the writers’ strike, and it was really good. A writer came up with the most brilliant idea. It uses music and the band in a great way."

When is Freakier Friday coming out?

Freakier Friday Release Date

Freaky Friday 2 is coming to theaters on August 8, 2025. This is definitely one of our most-anticipated movies of 2025 now!

Is Chad Michael Murray in Freaky Friday 2?

Freakier Friday Cast

Yes, Chad Michael Murray is returning for the sequel!

"How great would it be to bring Jake back?" he teased during the Mother of the Bride premiere in May 2024. "If Jake's invited back, Jake will be there." Thank goodness they invited him back!

Freaky Friday 2 also stars Mark Harmon, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Stephen Tobolowsky, Rosalind Chao, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.

What is Freakier Friday going to be about?

Freakier Friday Plot

Freaky Friday 2 sees Anna with a family of her own, including a daughter and a future stepdaughter. According to a press release from Disney, "As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice."

"It's going to be a really freaky Friday," Lindsay Lohan told Good Morning America on June 27, 2024. "Much freakier than you would expect."

"[There's] a lot of love, a lot of fun, a lot of laughs," she continues.

Check Out The First Freakier Friday Set Leaks

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The first set leaks from Freakier Friday are totally dreamy — and they also prove Anna's just like us, because who didn't go from emo-teen to boho-chic? Jamie Lee Curtis' Tess has published a brand new book, and based on her author photo, she's a lot more carefree than the last time we saw her! We also get a look at new cast member Julia Butters (who might be playing Anna's daughter?) and the internet's newest boyfriend, Manny Jacinto.

Disney posted this sneak-peek screen cap that we can only assume is from the movie. We truly can't wait to watch this sequel!

Are they making a Freaky Friday 2?

Lindsay Lohan said on Andy Cohen's Sirius XM show that Freaky Friday 2 is really and truly happening! However, "I don’t want to say too much,” she said about the potential timeline.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the cast could be on set as early as summer 2024. In addition to Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis reprising their roles, Andrew Gunn and Kristin Burr will produce the movie, Elyse Hollander will write the script, and Ann Marie Sanderlin will executive produce. Nisha Ganatra will direct.

While Lindsay is looking forward to the story, she's “just excited to work with Jamie [Lee Curtis] again and see how much further we can take it," she tells PEOPLE. “We talk almost every other day in general, so I think we're going to have a lot of fun with this."

Are Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan friends?

Yes, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are definitely still friends! In November 2023, Curtis shared an adorable Instagram selfie with Lohan, teasing the upcoming project. And after the writers' and actors' strikes ended, project promotion is slowly returning to light.

"YOU GREW UP and SO BEAUTIFULLY!" the caption reads. "Well, it's Friday, and the strike is over so hopefully, we can switch places again in the near future!" She also tagged Lohan and Disney, which teased the iconic ‘03 comedy in a fun way.

What has Jamie Lee Curtis said about Freaky Friday?

Curtis — coming off some serious cinematic hits, Everything Everywhere All At Once and Halloween Ends — still retains a strong bond with Lohan, and hasn’t exactly been shy about her excitement towards circling back to Freaky Friday. Landing the original role and moving through production was undoubtedly significant to the actress: she cites her own success with Tess after taking on the job at the last minute, despite being booked and busy elsewhere.

“Had I had all the time in the world to prepare, I don’t think it would’ve been so good,” Curtis told the New York Times. “I just had to be in my body. I was also newly sober and I was able to have a community within the movie-work world. That was a big deal for me.”

What has Lindsay Lohan said about Freaky Friday?

Lohan told the New York Times that she was ready and raring to tackle 2003’s Freaky Fridayback in the day after rocking a dual-role in 1998's The Parent Trap.

“I threw myself into everything: accents, green screens, playing two people,” said Lohan. “So I felt comfortable after that. Freaky Friday felt different because I was going through all of the phases of a 16-year-old [but playing a character who was a year younger]. This was the era of Avril Lavigne and punk, and I wanted to experience it. We did white stripes in my hair.”

The fame Lohan endured at a young age didn’t always leave a positive effect, and it’s been a hot second since we’ve seen her fully emerge back into the spotlight. The star’s been busy since – she moved to Dubai, manages her overseas businesses, got married, and recently welcomed motherhood. After all that, Lohan remains eager to act again – and thankfully in a second Freaky Friday.

“Jamie and I are both open to that, so we’re leaving it in the hands that be,” Lohan told NYT. “We would only make something that people would absolutely adore.”

It sounds like Curtis is ready, too. "As I went around the world with Halloween Ends, people wanted to know if there was going to be another 'Freaky Friday.' Something really touched a chord. When I came back, I called my friends at Disney and said, 'It feels like there’s a movie to be made.'"

Who's writing Freaky Friday 2?

Freakier Friday was written by Jordan Weiss.

Who is directing Freaky Friday 2?

Nisha Ganatra is directing Freaky Friday 2. She’s directed TV episodes on shows like The Mindy Project, Shameless, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Dear White People. Ganatra has also done directorial work in movies like The Hunters, Late Night, and The High Note.

Our Interviews With 'Sweethearts' Stars Kiernan Shipka, Nico Hiraga, & Caleb Hearon And Writer Jordan Weiss

Sweethearts might be the ultimate cozy holiday season watch, but its cast and crew can't stop gushing about cozy classics like When Harry Met Sally and Harry Potter. ("Oh, my childhood," Kiernan Shipka says with a nostalgic edge to her voice. "All the meals, the dining hall." This, too, is what I envy the most about the Hogwarts lifestyle).

Writer-director Jordan Wiess declares herself a When Harry Met Sally superfan and says the movie "always makes me feel [good]. The sweaters and the style, and it always reminds me of the fall...ObviouslyThe Holiday is one of my favorite Nancy Meyers movies that always have to watch in December. And then a re-watch of Gilmore Girls is mandatory for the fall."

What do all of these titles have in common? Memorable relationships and oh-so-cozy backdrops. And in Sweethearts (on Max November 28), two best friends decide to break up with their high school sweethearts over Thanksgiving break, and wind up running into all their old friends during their mission. So, naturally, I have to ask for their best advice for returning home for the holidays!

"I've told people that I've had childhood crushes on that I didn't tell at the time, 'By the way, I had a huge crush on you,'" Kiernan says. "It's so fun to say the thing you've never maybe said to someone that you've always wanted to. I mean, that's fun to me. I would say maybe do that if you can find an old crush that you never expressed your feelings to. Even if it's just for the fun of it."

"I like going back and doing a lot of the old things I grew up doing with the old friends that left the Bay or stayed in the Bay," Nico Hiraga adds. "That's special when you go back and just treat it like no time went by at all, you know, do the same old traditions."

But for Caleb Hearon, it's out with the old and in with the new. "Going and seeing a bunch of people you haven't seen in a while I think, try on something new," he says. "Bring up a new music you're listening to, wear a bold shirt. Just try on something new when you're coming home from college. I remember going back to my small town from college and I was trying out new clothes. I was trying out new phrases. I was testing things out, seeing what people liked and didn't like. They don't know who you are now!"

Clearly, heightened emotions around going back to your hometown is a universal experience, and for Jordan and co-writer Dan Brier, it was important that the storyline fit right in with those classics we all know so well.

"Dan and I had a lot of conversations where we're like, 'Ok, what if you gave Superbad or Booksmart the male-female friendship When Harry Met Sally treatment — but in the shape of one of those raucous buddy comedy night-where-everything-goes-wrong type of movies."

They also pulled from John Hughes titles like Ferris Bueller's Day Off, "where an adventure is unfolding in a really limited span of time. And the characters are having a pretty complete emotional arc happen through this one crazy day or one crazy night."

Sweethearts is full of crazy moments, from house parties to college roommate horror stories, and the chemistry in those scenes is just a reflection of how close the cast and crew got on set, which Jordan equates to being at summer camp. Caleb remembers "laughing so hard that we had to muffle it so you don't ruin sound."

"I really hope people have truly half as much fun watching this movie as we had making it because we had the goofiest happiest set," Jordan adds. "Shout out to Nico who was definitely our onset DJ who had a wireless speaker with him on his cast chair at all times. So the second we would call cut, he was grabbing the speaker, blasting the tunes. I have so many funny videos of Kieran and Nico just dancing it out in the middle of the night because we were shooting mostly all throughout the nights and you gotta find creative ways to keep the energy up at four in the morning."

"One of my favorite parts in the movie is when Ava DeMary (Claire) sings the national anthem and it's only in there for about 15 seconds," she continues. "We need to release the full four-minute performance because it got so unhinged, and also just all of Caleb's faces that he was making at her when she was singing. I have to find out if we are going to cut a blooper reel."

Considering how close the cast got, and Kiernan's track record for starting cast group chats (she's gone viral multiple times for revealing she texts her friends and costars good morning), I'm not surprised to learn she started a Sweethearts cast chat. I am surprised, however, to learn she started at least four!

"It's that thing where we have so many people," she says. "There's like one hero, bigger group chat that I think is like eight people. And I think it's called Via Carrot because it was a play on Via Carota [and] someone was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna get there via carrot.'"

"But then it's that thing of like it's me, Caleb, Me, [Nico], Jordan, and Dan," she continues. "But we all have one group chat where like one person is there or we have a smaller one. So we maybe have five others, and there's just the three of us called Friends Are Life...There's a lot going on. I'm gonna accidentally text the wrong one."

What is the movie Sweethearts about?

Sweethearts Plot

Kiernan Shipka and Nico Hiraga play two best friends who are trying to nagviate friendship, relationships, and adulthood during their first year at college. When they return home for Thanksgiving break, and agree to break up with their high school sweethearts before classes start back up, a chaotic night out ends up putting their friendship to the ultimate test.

​When is Sweethearts coming out?

Sweethearts Release Date

Sweethearts is premiering on Max Thursday, November 28, which also happens to be Thanksgiving! We'll start perfecting our mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce now.

Who's in the cast of Sweethearts?

Sweethearts Cast

The cast of Sweethearts includes Kiernan Shipka, Nico Hiraga, Caleb Hearon, Tramell Tillman, Ava Demary, Charlie Hall, Joel Kim Booster, and Christine Taylor.

A Charlie Brown Christmas — On Apple TV+

Little Women — On Paramount+

Sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are dealing with a Christmas with no presents and, even worse, no Father while he fights in the Civil War. But as they encounter love and loss throughout their adolescence, the older they get, the more they realize the greatest gift was each other.

The Holiday — on Prime Video

This classic Christmas movie (which stars Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jack Black) has everything you could dream of: a house swap to a dreamy location and a run-in with handsome strangers. Say no more.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation — On Max

Clark Griswold is determined to give his family the best Christmas vacation ever. Unfortunately, it's totally on brand for the entire holiday to become a giant disaster.

It's a Wonderful Life — On Roku

The first classic Christmas movie on our list is one that my dad tried to get me to watch for years. I finally watched it and I cried almost the entire time. It's A Wonderful Life follows George Bailey, who's taken to an alternate reality where he never existed and realizes just how much he as to live for. This movie will definitely make you appreciate the people you love.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — Rent On Amazon Prime

Stop motion holiday movies were my entire childhood, and this one is a super cute addition to any family gathering. It expands on the iconic reindeer's story and features romance, danger, friendship, and even themes of identity and belonging. Go Rudolph!

Love Actually — on Prime Video

Any rom-com fan will want to tune into this classic, which tells the story of multiple lovestruck (or heartbroken) characters and will make you feel totally seen.

Christmas With The Kranks — On Prime Video

Jamie Lee Curtis might not have won an Oscar until 2023 for Everything Everywhere All At Once, but she deserved one for this classic Christmas movie ;). Luther and Nora have decided to all but cancel Christmas with their daughter in Peru. But when she comes home at the last minute, they must figure out how to have a spontaneous celebration.

The Polar Express — on Max

If you ask me, it's not a proper holiday without watching this iconic animated movie. Tom Hanks voices both the train conductor leading children to the North Pole and the little boy who isn't sure he even believes in Santa.

Home Alone — On Disney+

If you prefer a hilarious Christmas movie, then Home Alone is exactly what you need. 8-year-old Kevin McCallister is left behind when his family goes on their holiday vacation. As fun as it sounds, he starts to get tired of being ~home alone~ pretty quickly — especially when two burglars decide to target the house.

Eloise At Christmastime — on Prime Video

Speaking of spunky children, take a trip around the Plaza Hotel with Eloise, who basically rules the roost. With Gavin Creel as the lovable Bill and Christine Baranski as Prunella, this is one classic Christmas movie you'll want to watch even when you're not a kid anymore.

A Muppet Christmas Carol — On Disney+

By this point, A Muppet Christmas Carol is a classic Christmas movie that you'll remember for years to come. Every iteration puts a new spin on the tale, but this version is definitely Gen Z's favorite. The movie follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy bachelor whose life is changed when the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future visit him on Christmas Eve.

Elf — On Hulu

Even though this movie takes place in a post-Y2K world, it is absolutely a classic Christmas movie at this point! Buddy has spent his whole life thinking he's an elf, but when he learns he's a human — and that his dad is living in New York City — he goes on an adventure to find the family he never met. If anything will spark a lifelong love of narwhals, it'll be this movie. This is also a fun movie to watch after Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer because it's supposed to be the same world!

A Christmas Story — on Max

If you watched Elf and thought that Ming Ming the elf looked familiar, it's because he's played by Peter Billingsley from A Christmas Story! In this holiday classic, Ralphie does what every kid does the closer we get to Christmas: begs his parents for his dream gift, a Red Ryder BB gun.

The Nightmare Before Christmas — on Disney+

Pumpkin king Jack Skellington is in for a surprise when he finds Christmastown...and decides to kidnap Santa and take on the mantle of the jolly old elf. Tim Burton's musical delight is perfect for anyone who considers themself just a little bit more of a Halloween person (we get it!)

Miracle on 34th Street — On Disney+

There are two versions of this classic Christmas movie you can add to your watchlist: the 1947 black and white film, or the 1994 version starring Matilda's Mara Wilson. The story follows an independent single mother, a man on a quest to prove he's Santa Claus, and a little girl looking for something to believe in. I cannot recommend it enough, for real.

White Christmas — On Prime Video

This movie is my family's non-negotiable yearly watch, and TBH, everyone needs to see it! White Christmas is a musical that follows Bob and Phil who team up with sister act Betty and Judy to save an old friend's failing Vermont inn. For even more of a recommendation, my family genuinely and spontaneously breaks into any song from this movie as soon as the holiday season stars.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! — On Peacock

This classic Christmas movie (which I prefer to the Jim Carrey version, but you do you, boo) follows the titular Grinch, who decides to ruin Christmas by stealing presents, decor, and food from the Whos in Whoville. This heartwarming story really serves as a reminder that Christmas — and life — is more than material objects.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas — Rent On Amazon Prime

In this spin on the aforementioned cartoon, Jim Carrey plays the Grinch, who hates Christmas and can't stand the Whos of Whoville. This is a full feature film so they've added some extra plotlines the original doesn't have, but TBH, it just makes it more memorable.

Frosty The Snowman — on Hulu

Another classic Christmas movie that kids of all ages will love! When Frosty comes to life and befriends some local children, they have to team up to prevent him from melting.

The Santa Clause — On Disney+

Tim Allen stars as Scott Calvin, who must step into the red, cookie-loving shoes of Santa Claus when he accidentally causes the previous Santa to fall off his roof. After decades of Santa stories, I always loved how original this one is!!

The Year Without a Santa Claus — Rent on Apple TV+

"I'm Mister White Christmas, I'm Mister Snow!" Whether you've been singing this song since the special aired in 1974, or you've seen all the TikToks, it's a better time than ever to rewatch the story of the elves trying to convince Santa to carry out his annual trek.