Elliott Gould is an actor that has no shortage of films with incredible filmmakers under his belt. Perhaps, none are better than Robert Altman and Steven Soderbergh. The former featured Gould in films like “MASH” and “Nashville,” while the latter has put the actor in all the ‘Ocean’s’ films, as well as “Contagion.” And in Gould’s mind, he thinks that Soderbergh might be the best director to take over the reins on a potential franchise started by Altman.
Speaking at Beyond Fest, Gould talked about “The Long Goodbye,” a Robert Altman-directed, neo-noir film from 1973 that saw the actor as the lead. The film wasn’t the massive awards hit or box office behemoth, but over the decades, it has gone on to earn acclaim from fans. And Gould revealed that one of those fans, Steven Soderbergh, might be the best person to direct a sequel if one were to ever be released.
“I left a text message, and I don’t text much because I am not terribly technologically inclined, for Steven Soderbergh, who’s done quite a bit of work with me, to say, ‘Let’s talk about the sequel to “The Long Goodbye,” if you’re so inclined,’” Gould said (via IndieWire).
The actor went on to describe an exchange that happened on the set of “Ocean’s 11” with Soderbergh, where the filmmaker asked a random question about “The Long Goodbye,” which took Gould by surprise. The question involved the scene where ink smeared on Gould’s face. The filmmaker was curious if it was an improvised scene, in which it was.
So, while we don’t know if Soderbergh has it in him to do a sequel to Altman’s 1973 film, we definitely can’t rule it out. Not that we have any insider knowledge, but Soderbergh has never been a filmmaker that has done the conventional, obvious thing. That being said, would it be completely crazy if he decided to make a long-awaited sequel to a film that debuted over 45 years ago?
Either way, film fans can let their minds wander and imagine what a ‘Long Goodbye’ sequel with Gould and Soderbergh would look like. Otherwise, you can rewatch the classic noir Altman film and enjoy it on its own.