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Disney promoted Freakier Friday and told fans to go out to the theaters tomorrow with friends. The studio’s very last Instagram post carries the call to action with a link to buy tickets. But from most of the hype, the announcement managed to stir some unexpected drama within the comment section.
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An official Disney Studios account has posted while bringing together viewers of all stripes to enjoy the movie. The caption reads, “Grab your friends, get your tickets, and see Freakier Friday in theaters TOMORROW! Link in bio.” This simple announcement has over 500 likes, and the commentaries ranged from innocent excitement to political controversies.
Mostly, the reactions spoke about genuine excitement regarding the release of the movie. One comment probably summed everything that goes into the emotion behind this much-anticipated sequel: “‘Eekk!! I’ve been waiting 22 yrs for this moment.’” Another voice reflected how deep the original Freaky Friday really is for so many: “As a girl who grew up with this movie, I can’t even tell you how excited I am.” So, some plans are concrete by now-one of the couples set date night already: “Asked my husband to take me to see Freakier Friday so we’re making a Date of it.”
The unpopular comments, however, cast a different narrative for the others. Many had some complaints toward Disney being political. “no thanks i aint giving money to a zionist” states one tweet, followed by “Yeyyy boycotting your movie for being a Zionist.” That tells us that some very outspoken commentators are now actually basing attendance on the alleged political affiliations of the studio rather than on the artistic merits and content of the film.
This then spells further trouble for the international crowd. According to a querulous interlocutor in Qatar, the local cinemas seem to be backing out of actually showing the movie now, “Vox cinemas are gonna ban Freakier Friday in my country after they told me they were gonna show it.” They pleaded for Disney to intervene-incidentally, a sorry state of affairs in terms of global releasing strategy from the point of view of that ardent fan.
Lohan and Curtis joined the cast from the original Freaky Friday when it opened as a cultural milestone in 2003, portraying a mother and daughter who magically swap bodies. That heartwarming and funny family drama hit all the right notes with audience members, ranking this sequel among the year’s most anticipated movies by far. According to an expression from an early viewer who attended an advanced screening, “The movie is hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing!”
With an even bigger set of mixed reactions unfolding ahead of tomorrow’s release, the current promotion is riding the tail end of entertainment intersecting with politics. So, most fans are probably fantasizing about the nostalgic fun of having the first characters back, now with others. So, whether the audience is going to show all for laughs or stay away due to political disputes, Freakier Friday is all set to become the highest publicly discussed release of the season.
The movie might win or fail, depending on how much positive word of mouth from early releases manages to overshadow all the political campaign swirling around this release. With strong advance ticket booking reports for the theaters and excitement over social media, it sure looks like most of the fanbase wouldn’t really care about all the surrounding fuss and therefore actually embrace this much-awaited sequel. Tomorrow will be the first and foremost determination on whether such enthusiasm will translate to packed theaters or if it would have taken its toll in the way of the call for boycotts.
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In addition, the recent success of live-action Lilo and Stitch has further heightened interest in Disney’s upcoming line-up, adding to the anticipation surrounding Freakier Friday. The excitement surrounding Disneyland’s 70th celebration also showcases the nostalgic connection fans have with these beloved franchises. Meanwhile, the enduring fondness for Lemonade Mouth continues to demonstrate Disney’s strong legacy of creating impactful stories that resonate with audiences of all ages. Furthermore, fans like Rachel Fuda are expressing their passionate connection to Disney, which could translate into strong ticket sales for Freakier Friday.