Restored 1980 Comedy '9 to 5' Returns to Theaters for Children's Literacy

Dolly Parton died at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Parton said she and her co-stars had considered a sequel for years, but it never came together. She also praised a separate remake script then in development under Jennifer Aniston’s production company, calling it “a new and different take” that brought the office setting up to date.
The film’s office-worker trio includes Tomlin as a manager who trained her boss but cannot get promoted, Fonda as a befuddled newcomer, and Parton as a secretary whom colleagues presume is having an affair; Dabney Coleman plays the boss they target.
Tickets for the restored film were already on sale when the re-release was announced.
Dolly Parton's classic 1980 film *9 to 5* will return to U.S. theaters for one week starting Oct. 9, 2026, with Disney donating all net proceeds to the Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library. Rock Cellar Magazine reports the charity re-release honors Parton's decades of work promoting children's literacy through the program, which has distributed over 300 million books since 1995.
The workplace comedy starred Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin as office workers taking on their boss, played by Dabney Coleman. Consequence notes the film has been newly restored for the theatrical run, which was announced on Give Like Dolly Day on Sept. 25.
The 1980 film follows three office workers who scheme against their sexist, incompetent boss. Tomlin plays a manager who trained her supervisor but cannot get promoted. Fonda portrays a bumbling newcomer to the workforce. Parton stars as a secretary whose co-workers spread rumors she is having an affair with the boss.
Socal Thrills reports the restored print will screen in U.S. theaters from Oct. 9 to 15, 2026. Tickets are already on sale. The one-week run makes it a limited engagement, not a permanent return to multiplexes.
Dolly Parton wrote and performed the film's unforgettable title song, which earned an Academy Award nomination. The track became synonymous with the movie and remains instantly recognizable decades later. It captures the film's satirical take on workplace frustrations and office culture.
The song's enduring popularity has kept *9 to 5* relevant in popular culture. Daps Magic notes the newly restored version brings the film to theaters at a time when workplace dynamics remain a hot topic in American conversation.
The Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library launched in 1995 with a simple goal: get free books into children's hands. The program mails books monthly to registered children from birth to age five. It has grown into a massive operation serving multiple countries and communities.
Over 300 million books have been distributed through the Imagination Library since its founding. Archynet News reports that all net ticket revenue from the *9 to 5* re-release will fund the program's continued expansion. The partnership makes the theatrical run both entertainment and charitable giving.
For years, Parton and her co-stars discussed making a sequel to *9 to 5*, but the project never materialized. However, a separate remake is currently in development. Archynet News reports that Jennifer Aniston's production company is working on a new script that updates the office setting for modern times.
Parton praised the remake project, calling it "a new and different take" that brings the workplace environment into the current era. The original film's themes about workplace equality and gender discrimination remain relevant, making the story ripe for a contemporary reimagining.
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