While this year has seen movies like “The Roommate,” “Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2” and “The Rite” top the box office, every now and then, America gets it right and puts quality at the top of the pack. While it didn’t beat the mighty “Thor,” the Judd Apatow produced, Paul Feig directed ensemble female comedy, kicked some ass over the weekend, surprising everyone with a number two slot and as it headed into this week, overtook the Marvel movie with weekday ticket sales. This is a huge step towards greenlighting female comedies around town (finally) but moreover, proof that if you give audiences quality options, generally, they’ll go for it.
So with this new found success, sequel talk is already rearing its head and Vulture caught with Feig and the film’s breakout star Melissa McCarthy following a recent star-studded screening of “Midnight In Paris” and they chatted the possibility of a followup. “Who knows? I mean, it depends how we do in the next couple weeks, but I know there’s definitely … it’s already been brought up. So, um, you know, when you get a group that’s this deep and this good, it’s a crime to not use them again. You just want to make sure that you do it as well as you did the first one and try to make it better, even. So, we’re up for the challenge,” Feig said.
As for McCarthy, he’s ready and willing should that switch ever be flipped. “I will show up wherever these guys tell me to go. If it’s a play in their backyard, I will gladly do it. I’ll do kids’ parties for them, I’ll do bar mitzvahs; I’m in,” she stated.
Universal is likely pleased as punch to have a sleeper hit on its hands, and the numbers look like this one will be performing stronger than expected for the next little while. That said, Apatow has generally steered clear of sequel-itis, instead smartly opting for fully-formed spinoffs (“Get Him To The Greek,” his own upcoming “Knocked Up” redux with Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd) so it will be interesting if they bring back the gaggle of gals or if they try to focus on one or two of the characters instead.
Anyway, it’s all icing on the cake for a film that deserves all the kudos it gets. Go see it now if you haven’t already.
