80s animated TV show Jem and the Holograms is a bewildering choice for a film adaptation, yet the project seems to be going well. Its cast was previously announced with Audrey Peeples (Nashville) starring at the eponymous Jem, and Stefanie Scott (A.N.T. Farm), Hayley Kiyoko (The Fosters) and Aurora Perrineau (Pretty Little Liars) as the Holograms, and now The Hollywood Reporter claims 80’s icon Molly Ringwald (The Breakfast Club) is joining the project, in addition to Juliette Lewis (August: Osage County).
It’s not clear what roles Ringwald and Lewis will have, but what is of note is their previous musical experience. Lewis was frontwoman for her band Juliette and the Licks, while Ringwald occasionally sings with a jazz band. It’s easy to speculate that the two might possibly sing in the film, perhaps posing as rivals for Jem and the Holograms. Ringwald’s casting makes perfect sense, as the film draws from that same 80s nostalgia as her career, starring in iconic films such as Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.
Little else is known about the film, apart from the fact it is to be directed by Jon M. Chu (Justin Bieber’s Believe, G.I. Joe: Retaliation), but it should at least prove interesting, if not enjoyable.
Originally published May 23, 2014. Updated December 13, 2019.
