20th Century Studios is cooking up a sequel to 2004’s “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” with original star Vince Vaughn now attached to reprise his role of Pete LaFleur, the very laid-back and casual owner of Average Joe’s Gym. Deadline reports that the studio has assigned writer Jordan VanDina (“The Binge“) to pen a script for the sports comedy sequel.
While Vaughn is set for “Dodgeball 2,” it’s less clear if other actors from that original installment will be returning. Others among that cast consists of Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Justin Long, Stephen Root, Alan Tudyk, Joel David Moore, Chris Williams, Missi Pyle, Gary Cole, Jason Bateman and William Shatner. The late Rip Torn also played a key character.
Here is the film’s synopsis if you’re not familiar with it:
Average Joe’s Gym and its owner, Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn), are both down on their luck. A fancy competing gym called Globo-Gym, run by the maniacal health nut White Goodman (Ben Stiller), is about to put Average Joe’s out of business unless Peter can raise $50,000 to keep his mortgage. To save the gym, Peter and a ragtag group of Average Joe’s members and employees enter a dodgeball contest with a big cash prize. In response, White forms his own Globo-Gym team to rout the competition.
Stiller played the film’s antagonist, White Goodman, a fellow gym owner. However, he’s seemingly been reluctant to get involved for a follow-up and is currently busy with his Apple TV+ series “Severance” that could end up being a hindrance, along with other projects, to his character’s return in a major way for “Dodgeball 2.” Another question raised with the news is who will direct, as a name wasn’t mentioned. Maybe Rawson Marshall Thurber will come back to helm the next installment?
