Netflix is rebooting the beloved 2004 movie 13 Going on 30 for a new generation – here is all we know about what is happening with it.
Nostalgia is big business in movies and on streaming currently, with a whole raft of beloved movies from the 1980s, 90s and 2000s getting remade, rebooted or, for some inexplicable reason, remaking animations in live action (looking at you, Disney).
This trend is seemingly going nowhere – does nobody have any new ideas? – and one in the works currently from Netflix is a reboot of the classic movie 13 Going on 30. For those that don’t know the original, Jenna Rink, a 13-year-old girl wishes to be ‘thirty, flirty and thriving’ and, as you do, wakes up the next morning in the body of her 30-year-old self. Now, she has to navigate adult life as a magazine editor and make sense of how she got there, while chucking in an inevitable love interest.
Who is starring in 13 Going on 30?
Emily Bader is slated to star in the movie, taking on the role of the adult Jenna. The 29-year-old is best known for her roles in People We Meet on Vacation, as well as the Amazon Prime series My Lady Jane (2024)
Meanwhile, Logan Lerman is on board, and it is thought he will play Emily’s love interest in the movie. He played the title character in the Percy Jackson film series (2010-13), which really shot him to prominence. More recently, the 34-year-old appeared in the thriller series Hunters (2020-23) and Only Murders in the Building (2025).
In addition, Jessica Alba has recently been confirmed by Deadline as being part of the cast, although the role she will be playing hasn’t been confirmed. Jessica is known for her role in the Fantastic Four movies from (2005-7) and, more recently, was in the thriller movie Trigger Warning (2024).
Who else is involved in the reboot?
Brett Haley is directing the reboot – he worked with Emily on People We Meet on Vacation and was reportedly keen to reunite with her.
The script for 13 Going on 30 is being written by Hannah Marks – best known for After Everything – with Flora Greeson on revision duty.
Producers include Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum.
Is Jennifer Garner involved in the 13 Going on 30 reboot?
Jennifer Garner famously played the lead character’s adult version in the 2004, and remains one of her most beloved roles.
Fans will be glad to know that Jennifer is on board for the reboot, in an executive producer capacity. Whether she will also have an on-screen role as well has yet to be confirmed.
Brett told Deadline having Jennifer onboard, given her role in the original, was “especially meaningful.”
Will the plot be the same as the original?
Currently, details of the plot are being kept under wraps, so how much of the original story will appear isn’t clear. Brett has teased that the movie will be a “reimaging” of the original – a word that covers a lot of ground, from a potential faithful update to something that is completely different to the original.
However, Brett has said that he is a longtime fan of the original movie and “stepping into this reimagining comes with tremendous responsibility.”
So the indications are the original will be honoured – and Jennifer being involved may also indicate it will lean towards the original for its inspiration.
When will 13 Going on 30 be released?
There is no released date confirmed as yet. Production began in June in Los Angeles, so that would probably give a release time of late 2027 or possibly early 2028
