Lily Tomlin Felt ‘Rejected’ After ‘9 to 5’ Remake Was Announced

Lily Tomlin’s message to Jennifer Aniston and Diablo Cody: you’re going to have to work longer hours than “9 to 5” to update the 1980 film for the present day.

Tomlin told People magazine that expanding on the comedic revenge storyline that dealt with sexism in the workplace is a “tough” task for today’s corporate environment. Aniston’s production banner Echo Films announced in 2024 that a reboot is in the works at 20th Century Studios, with Oscar-winner Cody writing the script.

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“It’s going to be tough to make [the movie] happen. My sympathies are with Jennifer and her writer Diablo, who is a good writer,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin also admitted that at first she felt “rejected” upon the announcement of the remake. She and fellow original “9 to 5” co-stars Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton had tried for decades to get a sequel made.

“I felt sort of the same way I felt about the [2009] musical. You know, part of you feels rejected. You think that character is yours, always. And you could reembody it,” Tomlin said.

Tomlin personally tried to write a “9 to 5” sequel in 2018.

“We had one official crack at the script,” Tomlin said. “The draft just didn’t work for us. We couldn’t really see the work world today [in the pages]. People work from home. They take gig work. They don’t even know their boss. They’re at home!”

Others tried, like Rashida Jones and Patricia Resnick. But Fonda told Entertainment Tonight in 2023 that the core “9 to 5” trio were not “satisfied” with any scripts for a sequel.

“If you don’t have the script, you can’t start,” Fonda said, and in 2019 the slated sequel was effectively canceled.

Tomlin added at the time: “We’re always are holding that secret little sequel. We’re trying to make it happen before one of us checks out, so we hope we pull it off.”

At least they got to participate in 2022 documentary “Still Working 9 to 5,” which explores the evolution of women’s rights in the workplace 40 years after their scripted film. And Tomlin and Fonda have also collaborated on a slew of other projects together, including Netflix series “Grace and Frankie” and comedy film “80 for Brady.”

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