22 Years Ago Today, This Cult-Classic Teen Movie Was Released
Now-iconic teen film Mean Girls made its remarkable debut 22 years ago and even to this day, it continues to resonate with audiences as one of the defining cult classics of early 2000s pop culture.
Released on April 30, 2004, the movie's sharp humor, iconic one-liners and the very relatable high school dynamics easily captured viewers' attention.
Written by Tina Fey, Mean Girls follows the story of a teenage girl who moves from Africa to a suburban high school in Illinois after spending 12 years as a homeschooled student.
Speaking of homeschooling, the film was originally titled Homeschooled, but as the script evolved, the writer changed it to Mean Girls to better highlight the protagonist's transition from home education to a traditional school setting.
Although the storyline followed the familiar beats of a typical teen movie, its impressive ensemble cast added depth, humor, chemistry and undeniable flair to the narrative.
The lead stars included Lindsay Lohan as the protagonist Cady Heron, who becomes entangled with the high school "mean girls" also known as "The Plastics," led by Rachel McAdams as the iconic Queen Bee Regina George, alongside her loyal "minions" Gretchen Wieners, played by Lacey Chabert and Karen Smith, portrayed by Amanda Seyfried.
Without a doubt, the movie became a major hit at the time of its release.
Mean Girls secured the No. 1 status at the box office during its opening weekend.
With the massive success, the film reportedly grossed over 86.1 million domestically and $130.1 million worldwide on a production budget of around $17 to 18 million.
Seven years after the original movie was released, it returned for a sequel, but this time with an entirely new lineup.
Mean Girls 2 showcased stars from Channel and Nickelodeon with Meaghan Martin, Jennifer Stone, Maiara Walsh, Nicole Gale Anderson, Claire Holt and Diego Boneta as the lead cast.
In addition, the film was also adapted into a Broadway musical. Launched in 2024, Fey and Tim Meadows reprised their roles while Lohan made a surprise cameo.
In the same year, Mean Girls celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special treat for fans.
In a post, Fey announced the release of the limited-edition collectible, a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in its signature burn book packaging.
The collectible includes a new featurette, Mean Girls: Class of '04, in which the writer and the cast of the 2024 musical remake look back on the original film's lasting legacy.
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 6:00 AM.