Breakfast Bunch: '80s Icons Reunite After 40 Years, Discuss How Their Film Couldn't Be Made Today

The Breakfast Club Stars Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Anthony Michael Hall came together publicly for the first time since the movie was released. film's 1985 release On Saturday, participating in a 40th anniversary discussion at the C2E2 convention in Chicago.

“I’m extremely emotional and touched to see us all gathered,” Ringwald shared with the audience, pointing out that although the others had reunite before, this marked Estevez’s first return. “We no longer need the cardboard stand-in since he’s actually here now. It feels incredibly moving for all of us to be together.”

Estevez playfully mentioned that he missed all his actual high school reunions, but attending this event "is something I really felt compelled to do for myself. This particular reunion feels significant because it’s happening in Chicago, where we filmed the movie. Given that it marks the 40th anniversary, it seemed right to be here. Someone shared with me that Molly remarked, 'Doesn’t Emilio just dislike us?’ That comment genuinely hurt my feelings. But then I realized, 'Of course, I love each and every one of them.’ So, here I am."

In the presence of director John Hughes’ son and grandchildren, they reminisced about their initial encounter – during a table read where Estevez had just got his wisdom teeth removed the previous day and ended up passing out as Hughes presented them with the first screening of the film. Sixteen Candles - And regarding the casting, as Ringwald elaborated, the director initially intended to proceed this way. The Breakfast Club First, but following when he wrote Sixteen Candles The studio gave top priority to that film.

"As far as I understand, John Cusack was set to portray Bender and his sister Joan Cusack was slated for the role of Allison. The actors intended for the remaining roles were unclear to me," Ringwald mentioned regarding the initial casting plans. Breakfast Club roles. "And then after Sixteen Candles [Hughes] provided me with the script, and initially, he discussed portraying Allison with me. However, I expressed interest in taking on the role of Claire instead since it seemed more distinct from my own persona. We subsequently held auditions in Los Angeles for the remaining roles.

During the discussion, the performers spoke enthusiastically about their interactions with Hughes. Nelson mentioned, "He’s the only writer who has managed to portray youth authentically without making characters seem aged." Meanwhile, Hall confessed after his extensive 49-year acting journey, "Nobody compares to him. Nobody even comes near," when reflecting on collaborating with the director.

“I often had this strange feeling that the job was unfinished, as though someday we’d reunite—because everybody kept asking, 'What do we do on Monday?’ The movie revolves around each person making their own choice regarding what happens on Monday. Personally, I sensed something lacking; like having just one shoe when you really need a pair, with John being essential to complete my set,” Nelson explained. “So his passing This realization was significant for me, as it’s akin to how our efforts often form a circular pattern skewed towards one side. We required something to balance this out, since Hughes clarified the distinctions between youth and age. Now comes his moment to demonstrate where these paths converge, despite us all having aged; yet, we won’t have that experience, which is unfortunate. However, through Hughes' guidance, he essentially encourages us with 'think independently.'

During a Q&A session with fans, the cast pondered whether such a film could still get made or resonate nowadays. Estevez remarked, “Contemporary movies tend to focus more on concepts rather than characters, but what was beautiful about John’s approach was his emphasis on developing rich characters first. If we were pitching this story today—a tale centered around five teenagers spending an entire day in detention at a library—the studio execs might show us the door pretty quickly. They’d probably ask for some monster action, high-speed chase scenes, or spectacular visual effects instead.”

He went on, saying, "We should keep in mind that we produced this film with a budget of $1 million, which was substantial back then yet minimal according to Universal’s scale—it wasn’t considered one of their major blockbusters like many they produce now. Hence, there were significant risks taken, whereas under current circumstances, such a project likely wouldn’t be greenlit."

Ringwald suggested that when discussing the revival of intellectual property, he feels strongly against remaking that film since it is deeply rooted in its era. He believes the movie still connects with audiences now, yet advocates for new productions that draw inspiration from older ones while reflecting contemporary issues. According to him, the original movie has a predominantly white cast and fails to address topics such as ethnicity and gender diversity, which do not align well with today’s society. Therefore, Ringwald expressed his preference for seeing films that take cues from these classics but present them through a modern lens and current societal perspectives. The Breakfast Club But steer it in a new way."

For those unable to attend C2E2 in Chicago, panel recordings are available. watched here .

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