9 to 5 premiered almost 40 years ago, but in many ways, the story still feels relevant in 2018. The movie focuses on a trio of women who are fed up with their sexist boss and decide to exact revenge. Despite all the progress women have made, the #MeToo movement has proved that sexism is still rampant in so many different industries that the premise feels just as timely now as when the 1980 movie was released. That's why a 9 to 5 reboot would be so topical in 2018, so it's encouraging to hear that the reboot is reportedly moving forward with 20th Century Fox.
Deadline reported Wednesday that the updated version of 9 to 5 is starting to come together. Rashida Jones is apparently in talks to write the script with Patricia Resnick, who wrote the screenplay for the 1980 movie, along with the late Colin Higgins. Resnick would also be a producer on the new movie, according to Deadline.
In the original 9 to 5 (story: Patricia Resnick), Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda work as secretaries for a sexist male boss, Franklin Hart, Jr., played by Dabney Coleman. (Deadline also reports that the original trio is "eager for a reprise," so perhaps the ladies could have cameo roles in the new film.) While the movie is, at its heart, a comedy, some of the things the women go through resonate with viewers. Basically, anyone who's watched a man take credit for their idea during a meeting can sympathize with the trio.
(Bustle has reached out to 20th Century Fox, Jones, Fonda, Parton, Tomlin, and Resnick for comment on the report, but did not receive any responses at the time of publication.)
The women eventually kidnap Franklin to a comedy effect, but that doesn't make the on-screen harassment less relatable. And if Jones does sign on for the reboot, it's sure to be a laugh-out-loud level comedy. Jones has served as a producer on comedies like Angie Tribeca and A to Z, in addition to starring in sitcoms like Parks and Recreation. As proven by the original, just because it's a comedy doesn't mean the movie won't be honest about workplace sexism. And after the recent wave of harrowing stories about harassment, that's something that needs to be addressed.
After The New York Times broke the news about Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's alleged harassment and abuse (Weinstein has denied any allegations on non-consensual sex), dozens of women came forward to share their own claims about Weinstein and other figures. The #MeToo movement quickly spread beyond Hollywood, with people from a variety of walks of life coming forward about their experiences. And at the end of 2017, Time magazine named "The Silence Breakers" as the Person of the Year, sharing stories from women in a variety of industries. The #MeToo stories led to real change on a broader scale, too. Hollywood figures created the Time's Up initiative, which includes a legal fund to help people in various industries who have faced harassment.
9 to 5 is a comedy, but there's nothing funny about the #MeToo movement. The fact that the 1980 movie could be getting a timely update is a reminder that even in the 21st century, workplace sexism is alive and well. And how to address and counteract that culture of harassment is an ongoing conversation — because kidnapping and poison aren't exactly how to deal with the issues in real life.
Info about the potential release date and cast for the 9 to 5 reboot has yet to be announced, but Deadline reports that the movie would focus on a new trio of "young women dealing with sexism and chauvinism in the workplace." This is a movie to keep on your radar as it moves forward — the #MeToo movement is far from over.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org.
