For over five decades, Judy Blume famously declined every offer to adapt her iconic 1970 coming-of-age novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. into a movie. That changed when director and screenwriter Kelly Fremon Craig reached out with a heartfelt email that moved Blume to reconsider. In a behind-the-scenes set visit in June 2021, Publishers Weekly spoke with Blume and Justin Chanda, senior v-p and publisher at Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, about the forthcoming film and the new movie tie-in edition from Atheneum, releasing February 28, ahead of the film’s April 28 premiere. The film trailer debuted the same day.
Blume explained that after meeting Fremon Craig and producer James L. Brooks, she felt confident that their vision aligned with her own. Now 84, she felt a renewed urgency to see the story brought to life: “I realized I wanted to be here to see it.”
Blume praised the casting choices, calling them “even better than I imagined.” Abby Ryder Fortson (Ant-Man and the Wasp) plays Margaret; Rachel McAdams, an Oscar nominee, takes on the role of her mother; Benny Safdie plays her father; and Oscar winner Kathy Bates appears as Margaret’s grandmother. “I hear my characters when I write,” Blume said, “but I don’t really see them. To now see them after 50 years is remarkable.”
To create a compelling cover for the movie tie-in edition, Atheneum worked closely with Lionsgate and Blume. Justin Chanda explained that the goal was to appeal to both longtime fans and new readers. “Judy didn’t want the cover to feel purely nostalgic. It had to feel fresh and relevant for today’s kids,” he said. The design process spanned over a month, involving multiple versions and feedback from both the film studio and Blume herself.
The final cover features a moment from the movie in which Fortson, as Margaret, adjusts her shoe. Chanda said this image stood out for its natural, timeless charm. “It was playful, real, and instantly relatable. Judy loved it. The filmmakers and director agreed—it just felt right.”
Chanda believes this edition is more than just a standard movie tie-in. “This isn’t just another repackage. It really reflects the spirit and energy of Margaret and why it’s resonated for more than 50 years.” But what means the most to him? “The fact that Judy loves it.”
PW attended an advance screening on January 11, followed by a conversation with Blume led by Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager. Hager reflected on the book’s personal impact: “I remember finishing Margaret and suddenly not feeling so alone. That’s because of Judy’s writing.”
Hager asked Blume if she ever expected her work to endure for generations. Blume replied, “It’s surreal. I think about that young woman who just needed to write this story.” She hopes the film unites generations—those who grew up with Margaret and those discovering it for the first time. “It’s for the readers who remember exactly where they were when they read it.”Blume also appeared on Today on January 12 to discuss bringing Margaret to the big screen after over 50 years.
