Hot off his appearance in Disney+’s Star Wars: The Acolyte, actor Manny Jacinto has found his next project with The Walt Disney Company.
According to Deadline, Jacinto is in talks to join Disney’s highly-anticipated Freaky Friday sequel. Details regarding who he is playing is being kept under wraps, as is plot details. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are returning. Julia Butters is also in talks for an unknown role.
Nisha Ganatra, known for her work on Late Night and Welcome to Chippendales, is set to direct the new project, with production scheduled to start this summer in Los Angeles.
Andrew Gunn, who produced the 2003 film, is teaming up with former Disney executive Kristin Burr for this venture. It’s still unclear if the film will be released in theaters or premiere on Disney+, where recent releases like Hocus Pocus 2 and Disenchanted have found success.
The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including the original film starring Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster, a TV movie, a theatrical remake, a Broadway musical, and a Disney Channel Original Movie. Central to the series is the theme of parents and children swapping bodies, leading to initial misunderstandings but eventually fostering mutual respect and deeper understanding.
The 2003 version, featuring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, was well-received by both audiences and critics, grossing over $160 million worldwide on a $20 million budget.
For Disney, Manny Jacinto played Quon in Once Upon a Time, Scott Denoga in Hailey’s On It!, Brian Glory/Blue Streak in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and Qimir in The Acolyte. He also appeared as Yao in the Hulu miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers, and Bobby Ato in the ABC series The Good Doctor. Additionally, he appeared as Waring “Wade” Espiritu in the 20th Century Fox film Bad Times at the El Royale.
