By You know that Anchorman sequel that we’ve all been waiting for but was deemed unprofitable by Paramount despite director/writer Adam McKay convincing the cast to take a paycut? Well there’s an update on that status: IT’S STILL NOT HAPPENING.
During a press conference promoting Everything Must Go, Will Ferrell was asked about the status of a possible Anchorman sequel. Ferrell once again had to deliver the bad news, stating that “Anchorman 2, you really have to assert some sort of email hate campaign to Paramount Pictures. They’ve told us, ‘We’ve run the numbers and it’s not a good fit.'”
It’s a damn shame really, considering Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Bergundy might’ve been Will Ferrell’s last great movie (though Stranger Than Fiction has a special place in my heart). The first movie grossed nearly tripled it’s production cost and the movie has since then inserted itself into the lexicon of pop culture. I mean, everyone I know has a copy of Anchorman in their DVD collection, including my girlfriend who has a collection of 5 DVDs. I doubt it’s a “it’s been too long since the original” situation since they’re considering revisiting Zoolander, so the fact that they’re against an Anchorman sequel is all a bit strange.
I’m starting to feel bad for Will Ferrell. It seems Anchorman 2 will haunt him much like an Arrested Development movie haunts Jason Bateman. He’s doomed to a life of “What’s going on with Anchorman 2” questions, constantly reminded that no matter what he does, the people only want to see him in an Anchorman sequel. Would an Anchorman sequel lose sight of what made the original funny and be a cheap ploy at grabbing our dollars through nostalgia? Probably, but it doesn’t mean that we should be denied the chance to see what an Anchorman sequel could’ve been. For shame Paramount … for shame.
[via Movieline]