Original '9 To 5' Star Offers Their 'Sympathies' To Film's Jennifer Aniston-Produced Reimagining

9 To 5 is a cultural phenomenon. The 1980 film was a hit at the box office. It turned Dolly Parton into a movie star (no 9 To 5, no Rhinestone). Her hit song, written for the film and titled after it, was a mega-hit that won two Grammys and still gets used to this day. A TV show based on the movie began in 1982 and ran for five seasons (a fact I was oblivious to before writing this piece). Even Broadway got a taste of the work comedy, with a musical version arriving in 2009 (though it only ran for about five months).

A sequel to the film was in the works for years. It has gone in and out of development, with the original stars (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton) entertaining the idea on several occasions. However, in a recent interview with PEOPLE, Tomlin revealed why they all passed on the idea. “The draft just didn’t work for us. We couldn’t really see the work world today [in the pages]. People work from home. They take gig work. They don’t even know their boss. They’re at home,” said Tomlin.

While a sequel won’t happen, a “reimagining” is in the works. “Reimagining” is fancy Hollywood talk for “it will be the same story but with cellphones, and one of the original leads will have a cameo as a different character.” Jennifer Aniston will produce it, and Diablo Cody will write the script.

It’s not the worst idea. While plenty has changed culturally, particularly in office jobs, things aren’t as different as people think. Bosses can still be terrible and hold their positions despite being underqualified. Women are still treated like second-class citizens. Despite what some s***ty Daily Wire TV show might tell you, offices didn’t suddenly become woke paradises. It will be difficult to match the original (as it often is), but doing a new take on 9 To 5 is not a terrible idea. Regardless, Lily Tomlin has her doubts.

“I felt sort of the same way I felt about the musical,” Tomlin said, describing her reaction to the news of a reimagining. “You know, part of you feels rejected. You think that character’s yours always. And you could reembody it.” When reflecting on the current world and how that would affect a new film, Tomlin said, “It’s going to be tough to make [the movie] happen. My sympathies are with Jennifer and her writer Diablo, who is a good writer.”

Lily Tomlin may have her doubts, but she still takes a moment to shout out Cody’s skills. While she may have her doubts, they seem influenced by the state of the industry and her experiences with it. Yes, she did mention how the world has changed, but it could be argued that that isn’t a bad thing. If anything, it could provide more new material for the film. But don’t argue that point. This is Lily Tomlin we’re talking about. She can say whatever she likes. She’s earned it.