Blades Of Glory 2 Was Discussed, Here's Why It Didn't Happen [Exclusive]
Sequels to beloved comedies have become popular over the last handful of years, given Hollywood's current obsession with building franchises at seemingly all costs. It turns out that one was at least talked about, as filmmakers Josh Gordon and Will Speck have, at the very least, had discussions about "Blades of Glory 2." Indeed, a follow-up to the 2007 ice skating comedy starring Will Ferrell ("Anchorman") and Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite") was in the cards, but never came to pass.
I recently spoke with Gordon and Speck for Marvel's "Hit-Monkey," which arrives on Hulu next week. We'll have the full interview soon, but during the conversation, I asked them if a "Blades of Glory" sequel was ever considered. Speck had this to say:
"The idea of them floating off into the clouds sort of feels like ending on the highest note that you could possibly find. It feels like only downhill from there. You know, we've been approached about doing it, but I think we all feel like we loved that whole experience, and it's such a complete thing. Sometimes you really run that risk with a second of just diminishing the first. I think we all honor the first so much that we just want to hold firm."
Gordon jokingly added, "Talk to us in five years when we're really down and out." So there appears to be no hope of this actually happening, as all involved were more concerned with protecting the integrity of what came before, rather than trying to chase that dragon again.
Comedy Sequels Are Difficult To Nail
"Blades of Glory" was met with solid reviews and delivered big time financially, taking in $145 million at the box office and an estimated $49 million in home video sales domestically. It's no wonder a sequel would at least be in the conversation. But even looking at Ferrell's own career, comedy sequels are tough. "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" couldn't quite live up to the original, and the less said about "Zoolander 2" the better.
Ferrell is pretty discerning in this area, as he recently revealed that he turned down a boatload of cash to star in "Elf 2." Again, he wanted to protect the integrity of what came before. Sequels are risky and, from a financial standpoint, they can be especially volatile. But that isn't going to prevent anyone from trying, as "Wedding Crashers 2" was a hair away from filming recently before scheduling conflicts got in the way. Just don't expect Jimmy MacElroy and Chazz Michael Michaels to be suiting back up any time soon.