Justin Long reveals why Ben Stiller is hesitant to make a sequel to Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, the film has often been considered a classic within the sports comedy genre, earning praise from critics and building a solid fanbase over the years since its 2004 release. It centers around a group of misfits who enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament in an attempt to save their local gym, Average Joe’s, from being torn down by the owner of a corporate health fitness chain. In addition to Long and Stiller, who play Justin Redman and White Goodman, respectively, the movie stars Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Rip Torn, Stephen Root, and Joel David Moore.
Discussions surrounding a potential sequel to Dodgeball began in 2013, with Silicon Valley‘s Clay Tarver reportedly brought on to write the script. Stiller and Vaughn were set to reprise their roles from the first movie, but fans hoping for some continuation have been left waiting, as the project’s development never came to fruition. The cast reunited in 2017 to raise funds for charity, drawing on fan engagement and announcing a competition in which the winner got to play a match on either Average Joe or Globo Gym’s team. More recently, Thurber expressed interest in making a Dodgeball television series, sharing that he is proud of the film and that he is aware people still enjoy it.
In speaking with ComicBook.com, Justin Long reveals that Vaughn has an idea for Dodgeball 2, though Stiller is hesitant about making a sequel to something so many fans seem to cherish. The actor notes how hard it can be to recreate something and make it just as good as the original. He says Stiller enjoyed stepping back into the role in 2017 during their last reunion and hopes Vaughn’s idea could get him to join. Read Long’s comments regarding Ben Stiller and the Dodgeball sequel below:
“Of course I would love to do it and I hope that it ends up happening, but I think Ben is a little, what he told me on that podcast was that he’s a little trepidatious about doing a sequel to something so beloved, something that people enjoy so much that. It’s very risky, you don’t wanna s–t on the original, you want something just as good. So I think he’s a little wary of that, of trying to recreate something that was very specific to that time, but I hope he comes around on it. Vince is a very convincing person, so I’m just hoping Vince can convince him with his idea. It’s a funny idea, I don’t wanna say what it is. I know Ben loves Dodgeball and loves that character. I remember how much fun he had playing it. He was always laughing. When we got together years later to do a little mini reunion for this charity and Ben put on the mustache again I remember him talking about how how happy it made him playing White Goodman again and how much fun that character was. I do know that Vince has a great idea for it and it’s just a matter of getting Ben on board.“
How Dodgeball 2 Could Outdo Zoolander 2
Stiller faced the adverse effects of attempting a sequel in 2016 when the critical and commercial failure of Zoolander 2 resulted in a rather dejecting experience. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story may have more going for it, including a better initial box office performance and avid fans. Sports comedies are not as recurrent nowadays either, and with outlets like ESPN paying homage to the film through stunts like “ESPN8: The Ocho,” it is evident that its legacy has had more of a lasting impact.
The overall success of Dodgeball 2 would depend on the cast’s return and its script; however, fans of the original film would be thrilled to see Stiller reprise his role as White Goodman. While he wrote and directed the Zoolander movies and is currently involved in projects like Apple TV+’s Severance, Stiller would lessen his load on a potential sequel, likely only acting and producing. Those eager to finally get a follow-up to Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story can hopefully look forward to more news surrounding the film soon.
Source: ComicBook.com