One of the most enjoyable, humorous, and entertaining franchises of all time is, without a doubt, Freaky Friday. Based on the eponymous novel written by American author Mary Rodgers, the franchise involves several film adaptations and even a stage musical, all produced between 1976 and 2025.
Each film that will be listed here follows the same formula to varying degrees: a mom and a daughter, mostly named Ellen and Annabelle Andrews, don't see eye to eye on many things, which strains their relationship. Each believes they have it worse than the other and wishes they could spend the day in each other's shoes to demonstrate how easy their lives are in comparison to their own.
Due to various twists, their wish is granted, and each has to spend the day in the body of the other, dealing with problems and situations they weren't expecting. It isn't until they realise that to return to normal, they not only have to understand each other, but also come to terms with the fact that working together rather than against each other is the only way forward.
The franchise has received mixed to positive reviews from fans and critics, and has garnered more than 160 million dollars at the box office. All in all, here's the ultimate ranking of all seven projects released as of 2025 from worst to best.
7. A Billion For Boris (1984)
This film is technically based on the Freaky Friday formula, though with a more skewered viewpoint. The main characters are Annabele Andrews, her brother Ben Andrews, and Annabele's boyfriend Boris, who are played by Mary Tanner Bailey, Seth Green, and Scott Tiler, respectively. This film was also Seth Green's first film role, who would then garner notoriety for his work in projects such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the MCU, and Family Guy.
The main plot revolves around Ben being a tech whiz, and when he fixes a TV, it somehow plays programs a day before they're supposed to, meaning Ben becomes aware of future events in advance. Boris sees the economic potential in the situation and manages to convince the Andrews siblings to make a profit, for instance, by gambling on racehorses as they already know who wins.
Though they use the money to help their families, their actions also come with unwanted attention from bad people, causing tensions between the three. It's up to Annabele, Boris, and Ben to stop using their "newfound powers" or risk everything for them.
This movie ranks last, not because it's a bad film per se, but because it's the one which is furthest away from the FF formula. While it's entertaining and funny at times, mainly due to Green's performance, it still lacks the nuance and substance that other movies in this franchise have.
6. Freaky Friday (2018)
This film is an adaptation of both the book and the stage musical production released in 2016. The musical toured for around two years and was met with mixed reception from fans and critics. Two years later, Disney decided to produce their adaptation and released the film exclusively on their channel, which can now be watched on Disney+.
In the musical and the 2018 production, character names were changed. Still, the plot follows the same storyline of the rebel teenage daughter and the overworked mom who don't get along, and as they switch bodies due to unforeseen circumstances, they need to resolve their differences before the mom gets married.
At this point in the franchise, the formula has been beaten to death, and it shows. The actors don't have chemistry with each other, the dialogue feels redundant, and the songs are generic at best. However, it's still a Disney film with all the classical elements of feel-good vibes, corny moments, and a happily-ever-after.
5. Summer Switch (1984)
Summer Switch was a special episode released as part of the ABC Afterschool Special originals in 1984, which was an anthology television series aimed at children and teenagers. It starred Robert Klein (Bill), Scott Schwartz (Ben), Margo Skinner (Ellen), and Anna Maria Horsford (Annabele) as the Andrews family.
As previously said, it was a stand-alone episode; therefore, it had nothing to do with the 1976 film. While the Bill and Ben Andrews characters from the original movie expressed at the end wanting to switch places with each other, just as Ellen and Annabele did throughout the story, these can be seen as separate characters. While it was interesting to see the gender-bent situation where the father/son duo switches places as opposed to the mother/daughter duo, it lacked the magic, chemistry, and laughs the 1976 film had.
4. Freaky Friday (1995)
This Freaky Friday film follows a similar premise to its predecessor, as the daughter, Annabelle, is also a rebellious 13-year-old who doesn't get along with her mother, Ellen. Annabele is focused on her swimming team, friends, and skating, and holds a grudge against her mother since her parents' divorce.
On the other hand, Ellen, who is not only raising two kids on her own, but is also a successful fashion company owner, is fed up with her daughter not realising everything she does for her family, and more tensions arise when Ellen starts a new relationship with Bill, who works in her company. As Bill gifts them a pair of amulets from his trip, Annabele and Ellen switch bodies after wishing they could spend the day as the other, not realising what they're in for.
The first main difference this movie has is that Ellen Andrews is a working mother who owns a fashion company, as opposed to being a homemaker like in the first film. The second difference is that the character Bill is now Ellen's boyfriend and co-worker, who also struggles to connect with Ellen's kids. These changes make it the first movie in this franchise to stray away from the more conservative archetypes, which is something that its 2003 successor does as well.
There were some very cringey scenes in the film, particularly when the characters are speaking, or trying to speak, other languages like Spanish and Chinese. Regardless, while it's a pleasant Disney Channel film that fulfils its entertaining quota, it gets outshone every day by other films in the franchise.
3. Freaky Friday (1976)
The one that started it all. This film was the original adaptation of Mary Rodgers' novel, Freaky Friday, where a mother and a daughter who don't get along switch places on Friday the 13th, and must overcome their differences if they ever want to switch back.
Extraordinary actresses Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris portray Annabele and Ellen Andrews, the daughter/mother duo of the film. While they don't share too many scenes, their chemistry is undeniable. Their performances of each other outweigh anything else in the movie, as Foster carries an adult presence that resonates through the screen. At the same time, Harris's laidback and chaotic portrayal of a teenager will make anyone want to rewatch her scenes repeatedly.
Alongside them is John Astin as Bill Andrews, the father and husband of the family. Bill is chauvinistic, contrarian, and complacent, but Astin somehow manages to bring depth to such a questionable character. Astin is also more commonly known as another patriarch, which would undoubtedly put Bill Andrews to shame, who is none other than Gomez Addams in the original The Addams Family series.
Rounding up the cast are Sparky Marcus and Marc McClure as Ben Andrews and Boris Harris, the youngest member of the Andrews family and Annabele's love interest and neighbour, respectively. All cast members bring something unique to their characters, which makes this film pretty enjoyable.
The film does feel clunky at times, and there are particular scenes which could have been edited better. The special effects are quite dull by modern standards; however, the seventies vibe gives it an enjoyable and nostalgic feeling that makes it worth watching, particularly for Freaky Friday fans.
2. Freakier Friday (2025)
What an unexpected, yet gratifying surprise this sequel was! Sequels have a bad reputation for not being able to hold up to their predecessors, and fortunately for Freakier Friday, this wasn't the case. This film had the laughs, charm, and charisma that made the 2003 film so enjoyable and unforgettable.
In the film, Anna Coleman (Lindsay Lohan) is now a single mother and is struggling to raise her rebellious teenage daughter, much like her mother, Dr Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) did years prior. Anna is about to get remarried to the charming British chef Eric (Manny Jacinto), who has a teenage daughter of his own. As Harper, Anna's daughter, and Lily, Eric's daughter, don't want their parents getting together as they're school rivals, they plan to sabotage the union before the wedding occurs.
Anna and Tess are also going through a rough patch themselves, and due to unpredictable circumstances, Anna, Tess, Harper, and Lily switch places with each other, causing such chaos and mayhem that no one is prepared for what happens next. It's the perfect summer movie that will trap both OG fans and new watchers, and the chemistry between Lohan and Curtis is still as palpable and lovable even afterall these years later, which is the icing on an already fabulous and freaky cake.
1. Freaky Friday (2003)
Besides being one of the best comedy films of all time, it's also the best Freaky Friday film of all. Directed by Mark Waters, this movie cemented its cast as legends, and even after 20 years, we still remember how Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan's chemistry made us all believe they were actually mother and daughter. Their unmatched chemistry, banter, and long-lasting bond still tethers them together today, which, thanks to it, the sequel perfectly worked.
This is the first time the characters are named differently than in the other adaptations and more creative liberties were taken with them, for instance, the character Ellen is now named Tess Coleman and is a successful writer and psychiatrist; her daughter's name is Anna Coleman, she's aged up to be sixteen as opposed to thirteen like in other adaptations, and plays in a rock band, and Ben is now named Harry Coleman, Anna's younger brother, who is more mischevious than his former counterparts.
Mark Harmon as Ryan, Chad Michael Murray as Jake, Julie Gonzalo as Stacy, Willie Garson as Evan, Rosalind Chao as Pei-Pei, Lucille Song as Pei-Pei's mother, and the late Harold Gould as Alan Coleman, encompass this film's fantastic cast, and were key in making this project as memorable, enjoyable, and hilarious.
Who could forget Jake serenading Tess/Anna with a high-pitched version of "Baby One More Time" and then getting tackled? Tess riding a Ducati, Tess's epic makeover, and Tess and Anna rocking out at the House of Blues are just a few scenes that will go down in movie history.
An interesting fact is that actor Marc McClure, who played Boris Harris in the 1976 film, returns for a quick cameo as a delivery person whom Anna (in Tess's body) thinks is her mother's patient, Evan. Boris then points towards his name tag and emphasises his name to Anna/Tess' bewilderment, adding a new layer to the Freaky Friday universe.