Lisa Kudrow Talks ‘Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion’ Sequel

(L to R) Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino in ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

Preview:

Lisa Kudrow says that the ‘Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion’ script is in good shape.
She thinks it’ll happen.
The new movie would serve as a follow-up to the 1997 comedy.

Among the list of movies that people have been waiting for a sequel for, ‘Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion’ ranks fairly highly for fans of the comedy starring Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino as two women who concoct a fake business success story to impress their former classmates.

“The blonde leading the blonde.”

R1 hr 32 minApr 25th, 1997

There has been talk of a potential sequel in the past, but now, according to Kudrow, we could be closer than ever before.

Kudrow stopped by Drew Barrymore’s eponymous talk show while doing press for her Netflix comedy thriller real estate series ‘No Good Deed’ and had a positive update for the process of getting more ‘Romy’ in our future.

Here’s what Kudrow had to say as per Deadline:

“We’re as close as we’ve ever been. There’s a script that’s really good, by Robin Schiff.”

Kudrow seemed to think it has a good chance of happening, though she did qualify her comments with “I mean, we’ll see.”

Right now, the film only really has Kudrow and Sorvino attached to reprise their roles as Romy White and Michele Weinberger, with Schiff at work on the script.

No director is involved, and the movie has had no studio or even a greenlight attached.

Still, given that it boasts a recognizable title, still-popular stars and the potential for a compelling follow-up story (where are Romy and Michele now?), there’s every reason why this one might eventually make it to our screens.

What’s the story of ‘Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion’?

(L to R) Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino in ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

The original movie stars Kudrow and Sorvino as the title characters, two dim-bulb, inseparable friends who hit the road for their ten-year high school reunion and concoct an elaborate lie about their “successful” lives in order to impress their classmates, hoping to change their fortunes after spending their school days as targets of the popular crowd.

‘Romy & Michele’ was a cult success on its original release, earning $29.2 million worldwide from a $7 million budget. It was directed by David Mirkin, and written by Schiff, who adapted his play ‘The Ladies Room’ for the film.

Also in the cast? Janeane Garofalo, Alan Cumming, Camryn Manheim, Elaine Hendrix and Justin Theroux.

Schiff would go on to create a TV pilot for a prequel series called ‘Romy and Michele: In the Beginning,’ which spun the clock back to when the central duo graduated high school.

It starred Katherine Heigl as Romy and Alexandra Breckenridge as Michele, and while it was originally shot in 2002, it failed to become a series, and eventually aired as a 2005 TV movie on ABC Family.

‘Romy & Michele’: The Play

(L to R) Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino in ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

In her interview with Barrymore, Kudrow also mentioned that she appeared in the play as the characters, who were later fleshed out for the movie.

Here’s what she said:

“They had to do a backers audition for the play to see if they could even mount the play. And they went to all the [acting] teachers, ‘Who do you recommend to audition?’, so you know, I went. That was my first audition, ever, for ‘Airhead No. 2,’ Michele. We were these minor characters. We were on stage a total of seven minutes, in and out, for the whole play.”

What has Mira Sorvino said about the sequel?

(L to R) Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino in ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

Sorvino’s comments last year echoed Kudrow’s about the development.

She told People:

“[Schiff has] written multiple drafts of an amazing funny script, which checks all the boxes for all the fans. Almost every single character from the original that was important is coming back… This is all pending, them making deals, them saying yes, but they’re all in there.”

Sorvino also said that the aim was to have the sequel shooting in the second quarter of this year.

What else is Lisa Kudrow working on?

Lisa Kudrow in ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

Kudrow, one of the veteran stars as ‘Friends,’ has a few projects on the go.

In addition to ‘No Good Deed,’ she’s in the cast of comedy horror movie ‘The Parenting,’ TV series ‘Q Talks’ and TV Movie ‘Bright Futures.’

She also starred in Apple TV+ series ‘Time Bandits,’ though that has not been renewed for a second season.

When would the ‘Romy & Michele’ sequel be in theaters?

With the script still in development, there is really no information as to when the eventual movie might be released. Our best guess would be 2026 at the earliest.