While talk about a proposed sequel to “Anchorman” has been kicking around for a while now, it has never really gotten past the “Yeah, we’d really love to do it” stage. However, writer/director Adam McKay has revealed that plans are beginning to shape up into something a bit more concrete (we hope).
Obviously, the entire cast, particularly Will Ferrell and Steve Carell, have gone on to become bigger (and more expensive) stars, and as expected, and later confirmed by McKay in an interview with MTV, everyone will be taking paycuts in order to bring the film in at a reasonable budget: “It’s a tricky movie because everyone went and did really well after it, so everyone’s prices went up and everyone’s time got a little more valuable. But at the same time, graciously, Steve and Paul and everyone agreed to cut their price to come and do [the sequel], which you don’t see very often in Hollywood — and cut their price substantially. But even with that, it’s just a budgetary thing with Paramount in terms of how much they’ll give us to make it.”
While it seems like a no brainer to give these guys a cheque to shoot what is a highly anticipated sequel, Paramount is probably hesitant after watching Ferrell’s last film, “Land Of The Lost” tank horribly at the box office. Our guess is that they’re going see how “The Other Guys” does before confirming anything. But, surely if they can cough up money for “The Ring 3D” they can find some dollars for this can’t they?
As for just what the sequel has in store, it will be set in the ’80s and according to McKay, he has “this other, bigger, crazier idea that’s really more what it’s about, which I can’t say. Our thinking was there’s just no way the second one is going to be as good as the first, because the first one is the first one. So our idea is if we’re going to do a second one, we better go for it and try some insane stuff and we’ll be enjoying it and that way it can’t be half bad.” And as anyone who has watched “Step Brothers” knows, the McKay/Ferrell boundaries of craziness are pretty limitless.
Once McKay gets a budget and greenlight from Paramount, the plan is finish up the script (that they will certainly never use) in the fall and shoot the film in February 2011. Bear in mind, that’s the date they’re probably telling key cast members to keep open on their calendars, but obviously, if a budget doesn’t come together, the project will once again be pushed back.
We hope this does come together, but if not, McKay is already eyeing an adaptation of the comic “The Boys.”