Twenty-two years. That's how long it's been since Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo danced to "Thriller" in a Manhattan loft and made a generation fall in love with the idea of waking up at 30 and getting a second chance. Netflix's reimagining – working title Authentic – began filming on June 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. And wrapped on August 10, 2026.
Emily Bader and Logan Lerman star as the 30-year-old leads, with Brett Haley directing. Jennifer Garner returns not in front of the camera but behind it, as executive producer.
The production was filmed entirely within Los Angeles County, leaning on the city's own suburban and historic neighbourhoods rather than recreating the New York setting of the 2004 original.
The production filmied across greater Los Angeles for its full 35-day shoot. Casting calls from early July sought extras described as "high-end, eccentric LA influencer types" – suggesting the adult world Jenna wakes into in 2026 involves a very specific and very current social milieu. The magazine editor of the original has presumably been updated for a world where influence moves faster and the dream job looks different
