Regina discovers the Burn Book (a scrapbook of vicious rumors about students and teachers), copies it, and spreads it across the school, sparking a massive riot. The principal blames Janis. At the Spring Fling dance, Janis reveals Cady’s betrayal. Cady realizes she has become a worse version of Regina. After a public breakdown and confession, Cady reconciles with her friends. The film ends with Cady joining the Mathletes, finding balanced friendships, and the Plastics disbanding: Regina joins the lacrosse team, Gretchen leads the Asian student group, and Karen becomes the weather reporter.
Tina Fey, then a cast member and writer on Saturday Night Live , was approached by producer Lorne Michaels to adapt Wiseman’s book. Fey shifted the focus from a parenting guide to a sharp, satirical comedy about teenage girlhood. The film was shot in Toronto and featured a then-unknown cast including Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert. mean girls old movie