Body-swapping might sound like a gimmick, but in the right hands, it's a clever way to explore empathy and generational misunderstandings. No franchise has done it with such longevity and variety as Freaky Friday. Over nearly 50 years, the story has been reshaped to match the cultural climate of its moment, from '70s slapstick sincerity to Y2K teen comedy cool to a full-blown Disney musical.
Since Freakier Friday hit screens in 2025, it's the perfect time to revisit every swap-filled installment and see how each one tackled the big question of what happens when you literally walk in someone else's shoes? While you can find the majority of these on Disney+, it's not the only streamer housing the Freaky Friday franchise in its library.
Freaky Friday (1976)
The original Freaky Friday remains a charming time capsule of '70s family comedy, brought to life by Barbara Harris as the overworked mom Ellen and a teenage Jodie Foster as her equally stubborn daughter Annabel. What makes this first version so memorable isn't just the fish-out-of-water hijinks, but the way it balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine emotion. Unlike later pop culture heavy adaptations, this one places greater focus on the unseen burdens of the people closest to you.
For modern viewers, it's a gentle, wholesome watch that's more about family connection than spectacle, making it perfect for parents who want to introduce younger audiences to the franchise's origins. Compared to the more energetic 2003 reboot, this entry is softer and less stylized, but its sincerity gives it a staying power that still resonates.
Summer Switch (1984)
A made-for-television gem that often gets overlooked, Summer Switch takes the body-swap formula in a different direction by trading the mother-daughter dynamic for a father-son relationship. Scott Schwartz plays Ben, a teenager dreading summer camp, while Robert Klein's Bill is an exhausted corporate worker desperate for a break. Chaos ensues when a magical twist grants their wish to swap lives.
There's a light, easy-going quality to this story. In the grand scheme of the franchise, it's gentler and more niche than its cinematic cousins, but its focus on the father-son bond gives it a unique warmth the others don't touch. The inclusion of male protagonists may also reach a different audience.
A Billion for Boris (1984)
The oddball cousin of the Freaky Friday family, A Billion for Boris tosses the body-swap concept aside entirely in favor of a sci-fi "what if?" premise. The story begins when Annabel and her boyfriend Boris find a television that broadcasts future news. It feels like a harmless way to predict small events at first. But temptations lead to a tangle of ethical dilemmas.
The film dances between lighthearted teen mischief and surprisingly weighty questions about fate and greed. It's not as accessible as the mainline Freaky Friday stories, but it's still a must for fans of the family-friendly universe. It's like a junior version of Early Edition, and it stands out in the franchise for daring to break the mold.
Freaky Friday (1995)
Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann bring a cozy, mid-90s flavor to this Disney Channel Freaky Friday remake, using enchanted amulets to swap bodies. This version plays like a Saturday afternoon comfort watch. It's colorful, family-friendly, and leans heavily into sitcom-style humor. Long's comedic instincts make Ellen's struggles entertaining, while Hoffmann gives Annabelle a grounded teenage exasperation that keeps the sweetness from becoming overkill.
Freaky Friday (1995) finds a pleasant middle ground between the sincerity of the original and the snarkier edge of modern teen comedies that wouldn't feel out of place in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. For audiences who grew up on '90s Disney Channel movies, this one is pure nostalgia. For newcomers, it's a gentle introduction to the concept.
Freaky Friday (2003)
The undisputed pop culture juggernaut of the franchise, the 2003 Freaky Friday reboot took the body-swap premise and made it pulse with early-2000s energy. Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are perfectly cast as Tess and Anna, a mother and daughter who can barely survive a conversation without bickering. Then a cursed fortune cookie throws them both into their most high-pressure week yet.
This is the version that nailed the tonal sweet spot of being sharp enough to entertain teens, heartfelt enough to win over parents, and timeless enough to keep rewatching. Unlike the more earnest 1976 film, this one revels in generational clashes and culture-specific gags without losing the emotional throughline.
Freaky Friday (2018)
By 2018, audiences had seen multiple versions of the story, so Disney freshened up Freaky Friday by adding music. Adapted from the stage production, this musical version stars Heidi Blickenstaff as Katherine, a frazzled single mom, and Cozi Zuehlsdorff as Ellie, her spirited teenage daughter. The swap comes courtesy of a magical hourglass, but the real twist comes courtesy of the songs that punctuate the usual chaos.
The tone skews closer to High School Musical (2006) than Mean Girls (2004), making it a bright, candy-colored entry in the lineup. While it doesn't have the same cultural footprint as the 2003 film, it's bursting with upbeat charm that younger viewers will love.
Freakier Friday (2025)
The newest chapter in the saga takes the swap concept and cranks it up to ensemble-comedy levels. Lindsay Lohan returns as Anna, now a mother herself, whose life is turned upside down when a magical mishap causes her to swap bodies with her daughter, while a few other family members get mixed up in the chaos too. The result is a comedy of errors that multiplies the confusion.
In spirit, Freakier Friday is a lot like Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), where stories with overlap lead to all sorts of hijinks. For longtime fans, seeing Lohan bring Anna full circle is reason enough to check it out. For newcomers, it's a fun introduction to the magic of the franchise.
