A week back I was sneering at people who acted like Fox talking about a sequel to Wolverine was newsworthy. They greenlit that movie hoping to churn another one out every two or three years – that’s why studios make action films and superhero movies. Franchisability.
Comedies, though, seem less likely to be instant franchises. Even big hit comedies rarely spawn sequels, and when they do it’s usually well after the film has been released and been a hit. But Warner Bros is so excited about Todd Phillips’ The Hangover, opening in June, that they’ve got him working on a sequel script right now.
That’s not quite the same as a greenlight. Should the movie somehow tank, WB will quietly shelve the sequel, but in the meantime this is an indicator that the studio’s test screenings have been doing remarkable numbers. Maybe they want to nail in Phillips before the movie opens huge and he can play games with his quote; remember, he’s coming off of School for Scoundrels right now, ie not in the best negotiating position of his career.
I was on the set of The Hangover a couple of months back, and while I thought the interplay between Ed Helms and Zack Galifinakis was funny I didn’t think the film was going to turn out to be a potential phenomenon, but possily a cult favorite. It’s not like I’m psychic.