Comedy sequels are, by and large, pretty bad. Some arekindagood, most are mediocre, and more than a few are flat-out terrible. But none of that matters when it comes toMacGruber 2. This is the comedy sequel that’s the exception to the rule. As those who’ve seen the 2010 comedic masterpiece that isMacGrubercan attest, the creative talents behind this property are the perfect mix of ambitious, talented, and hilarious, resulting in a sense of humor that is above and beyond your “traditional” comedy mold.
ButMacGruberis a bona fide cult hit, meaning its box office prospects upon launch were not impressive. Indeed, the film only grossed a total of $9.3 million against a budget of $10 million, but its popularity has only grown in the years since, making the prospect of a sequel an actual possibility.
Star/co-writerWill Forteand director/co-writerJorma Tacconehave been saying for years that they have a genuine idea and desire forMacGruber 2, with the two planning to hook up with co-writerJohn Solomanto hash out a script then see if anyone will actually let them make the movie. Well, it appears that the scripting phase at least has begun, as Taccone tweeted out the cover page for a “super duper rough” draft ofMacGruber 2along with an image of himself and Forte in writing mode:
The page is dated September 17th, so it looks as though things are in theveryearly stages. However, there is a strong desire both from the filmmakers andMacGruberfans to see this thing through—Forte previously said that if his Fox seriesThe Last Man on Earthdidn’t get a second season,he was planning on moving right intoMacGruber 2.
The big question is, will a studio actually make the movie?MacGruberwasn’t a success at the box office for Universal but went on to gain notoriety on home video. The same thing happened with bothAnchormanandZoolander, leading to long roads to those films getting sequels, but whileAnchorman 2scored $173.6 million at the box office, Universal’sZoolander 2managed a mere $55.9 million. In other words, sequels to cult classics are still a risky gamble.
Taccone is coming off of co-directing this summer’sPopstar: Never Stop Stopping, which was critically hailed but failed to light the box office on fire. It’s frustrating that quality comedies have trouble finding their audiences in theaters, but perhaps with the rise of VOD and Netflix, there’s a further financial reason to seeMacGruber 2come to fruition. And unlike some other comedy sequels, the absurd and bizarre sense of humor of Forte, Taccone, and Solomon bodes well forMacGruber 2’s quality. There’s no risk of traversing familiar territory here.
What say you, folks? IfMacGruber 2happens, will you get your ass to the theater?
