Recently, we gave you the details on how the iconic cast of the 1980s classic, 9 to 5, would be reuniting for a soon-to-be-legendary sequel. In the article, we told you all about Jane Fonda’s role in the project, as both actress and executive producer, but now we have received word from yet another member of the original cast, the incomparable, Dolly Parton.

At the end of the year, she gave an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, promoting her new, highly-successful Netflix series, Dumplin‘. The focus of the piece was, of course, on this new musical show, but writer, Pete Keeley, couldn’t help but throw in some questions about the status of the 9 to 5 sequel. Fortunately, Parton didn’t disappoint; the living legend spilled the beans on the forthcoming movie’s theme, as well as when we might expect to see it in theaters.

At the time of the interview, Parton confirmed that the main cast was expecting to have a copy of the script in their hands “in a matter of days.”

“Of course, we will have to see what our thoughts are, and it will have to be rewritten a time or two, I’m sure. Hopefully, we might get a chance to start that in the new year,” Parton added. 

Though only Fonda has officially been announced as an executive producer, it looks like both Parton, and another original cast member, Lily Tomlin, have the final say in the script. That being said, even though Parton can’t yet speak about the specifics of the script, it’s clear that she has the utmost confidence in the team that is producing it.

“…after all these years, they finally came up with something that makes sense and was worthwhile to do,” Parton gushed. “[The new plot focuses on] three younger women working at the same Consolidated Companies, and these three girls try to figure out who these women were who made all these changes years ago. They find us, and I am sure it will have a lot of comedy and cover some issues that still need to be touched on, but in a fun, new way.”

Even though there hasn’t been a film sequel in nearly 40 years, the 9 to 5 franchise has been going strong in the meantime. “I had the chance to write the musical 9 to 5 for Broadway, and now they are actually opening that again in London in January,” Parton reports.” I’ve written another song or two for that. I’m very proud that 9 to 5 just keeps paying off. It is the song and the movie that just will not die!”

How the #MeToo movement is informing the new 9 to 5 sequel

Last summer, when the sequel was officially announced to the public, Fonda made mention that she hoped that the original premise of 9 to 5, a film about three hard-working corporate women working for a misogynistic, inept male boss, would translate into the era of #MeToo. While it’s impossible to know whether or not the writers will pull this off in a meaningful way, Anne M. Blaschke, in a piece for The Washington Post, wrote about how the themes of both the original and the sequel serve a purpose in our past and present history:

In 1980, “9 to 5” used comedy to show that clerical workers of all ages and ethnicities were treated badly because “secretary” was a feminized profession. Today, women work in almost every field, but in each they face these same challenges. The #MeToo movement has shown the potential to bind together through empathy, shared experience and anger women who seem ideologically or demographically dissimilar.

To learn even more about the new 9 to 5 sequel, be sure to watch the video below. It sounds like this film sure will be as impactful as it will be timely!

We’d love to hear your take on this movie sequel. Are you a fan of the original 9 to 5 film? Do you think the sequel will do a good job of addressing the #MeToo movement? What’s your all-time favorite movie sequel?