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Bring It On

Bring It On is a 2000 American teen comedy film directed by Peyton Reed and written by Jessica Bendinger.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Bring It On is a 2000 American teen comedy film directed by Peyton Reed and written by Jessica Bendinger. It stars Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, and Gabrielle Union, and follows rival high school cheerleading squads competing for a national title. The film became a box-office success and later launched a long-running film franchise and a stage musical.

Premise

Bring It On follows a championship-bound cheerleading team that discovers its routines were taken from a rival squad. The story combines sports comedy with themes of competition, originality, and fairness.

Production and release

The film was directed by Peyton Reed from a screenplay by Jessica Bendinger and released by Universal Pictures in 2000. Rotten Tomatoes lists its theatrical release date as August 25, 2000. It was Reed's theatrical film directing debut.

Reception and legacy

The movie became a cult favourite and a strong commercial success, with box-office totals reported at roughly $90 million worldwide. It also helped popularize cheerleading as a mainstream pop-culture subject.

Franchise and adaptations

Bring It On led to a franchise that continued with several direct-to-video sequels and a television film. The original film was also adapted into a musical that reached Broadway.

Key facts

  • The film centres on rival cheerleading squads Rancho Carne Toros and East Compton Clovers.
  • It was Peyton Reed's theatrical directorial debut.
  • The film was released theatrically on August 25, 2000, and grossed about $90 million worldwide.
  • It launched a franchise with multiple sequels and a stage musical.
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Canadian context

The film was widely distributed in Canada as part of the North American teen-comedy market and remains familiar to Canadian audiences through television, home video, and streaming availability, though it is an American production.

Frequently asked questions

What is Bring It On about?
It follows rival high school cheerleading squads preparing for a national competition after one team learns its routines were stolen from another.
Who directed Bring It On?
Peyton Reed directed the film.
Who wrote Bring It On?
Jessica Bendinger wrote the screenplay.
When was Bring It On released?
It was released theatrically on August 25, 2000.
Was Bring It On a success?
Yes. It became a box-office hit, with sources reporting worldwide earnings of about $90 million.
Did Bring It On lead to sequels?
Yes. It launched a franchise that includes multiple direct-to-video sequels and a television film.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bring_It_On_(film)
    Supports: Director, writer, cast, release year, and franchise details.
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bring_it_on
    Supports: Genre, release date, and synopsis.
  3. Seventeen — https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/news/a33046/bring-it-on-movie-facts/
    Supports: Box-office success and cult-classic status.
  4. Business Insider — https://www.businessinsider.com/bring-it-on-fun-facts-2019-1
    Supports: Cultural impact, sequel count, and musical adaptation.
  5. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204946/
    Supports: Plot summary.