9 to 5 is returning to U.S. theaters for one week, from October 9 through October 15. Disney announced the newly restored release on September 25, and tickets are now on sale. It is the 1980 movie starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, not a remake or a new sequel.
The screenings are part of a tribute to Parton, who died on August 25. Disney says it will give the net proceeds from every U.S. ticket sold during the one-week run to The Dollywood Foundation for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The program provides free books to young children.
What is 9 to 5 about?
Fonda plays Judy, a new employee trying to find her feet. Tomlin plays Violet, the office manager who knows the job better than her boss but keeps getting passed over. Parton plays Doralee, a secretary dealing with rumors about her relationship with that same boss. Dabney Coleman plays Franklin Hart, the man all three women have good reason to dislike.
When Judy, Violet and Doralee realize they share the same problem, they take control of the office in a plan that gets more out of hand as the film goes on. The joke is not only about getting revenge. It is also about who actually keeps the workplace running when Hart is out of the way.
Colin Higgins directed the film and wrote the screenplay with Patricia Resnick. Parton also wrote and performed the title song. The film was her feature-film acting debut, and the song became one of the pieces of her career most closely tied to the movie.
How the ticket donation works
Disney’s announcement says net proceeds, not the full price of every ticket, will go to the foundation. The figure is calculated after the theater’s share and certain release costs. The company has not announced a fixed dollar amount per ticket, so readers should not assume the entire ticket price becomes a donation.
The dates also matter. Disney’s pledge applies to U.S. tickets for the October 9–15 theatrical engagement. Other individual screenings may appear at cinemas on different dates, but those are not the one-week nationwide release described in this announcement.
Where can you watch it?
The restored theatrical run is scheduled for October 9–15 in the United States. Check a local theater for showtimes and accessibility options. Disney has not announced a separate release of the restored version for streaming or home video.
The existing 1980 movie is currently listed on both Disney+ and Hulu in the U.S. Those listings are for watching the film at home now; they should not be confused with the upcoming restored theatrical presentation. If you want to see the tribute screening on a cinema screen, the October dates are the ones to look for.
The return also lands on the first Give Like Dolly Day. Disney and Parton’s foundation chose September 25—a nod to the title 9 to 5—to encourage support for children’s reading. For movie fans, the tribute is a chance to revisit Parton’s first film with an audience, and for new viewers, a chance to see why Judy, Violet and Doralee still make a funny team.
