‘I Can’t Barely Wait’ Musical in the Works, OG Writer Announces

Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

The Class of 1998 from Huntington Hillside High School finally reunites for its 25th reunion…and it’s a musical!

SATURDAY, I can’t hardly wait co-writer/director Deborah Kaplan has announced a musical in the works based on her and Harry Elfont’s 1998 cult classic teen film, which starred Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green and Charlie Korsmo.

She shared the cover of the title and tagged the official Instagram profile of I Can’t Really Wait: The Musicalwriting in the caption: “And that’s all I can say @canthardlywaitthemusical #comingsoon.”

Kaplan tells Deadline that she and Elfont are “mostly caring godparents watching from the sidelines” at the upcoming musical.

I Can’t Really Wait: The Musical is produced by Michael Barra of Lively McCabe Entertainment.

The original 1998 romantic comedy followed six high school students on their senior night, where Preston Meyers (Embry) plans to give his longtime crush (Hewitt) a love letter after their chance meeting four years prior.

I can’t hardly wait boasts an ensemble of stars from young Hollywood of the era, including Selma Blair, Jason Segel, Melissa Joan Hart, Jerry O’Connell, Donald Faison, Jaime Pressly, Clea DuVall, Leslie Grossman, Breckin Meyer, Sara Rue, Sean Patrick Thomas , Amber Benson, Marisol Nichols, Joel Michaely and Jennifer Elise Cox.

This is Kaplan and Elfont’s first film before becoming directors Josie and the Pussycats (2001), as well as the shows Mary + Joan (2016) and Lisa on demand (2018-2021).