Judging by the films in development and what is constantly released, you would think that just about every Hollywood studio is obsessed with making sequels, reboots, and remakes of previously successful films and franchises. But apparently, that’s not the case with one hit comedy film, “Pineapple Express,” which never was given the chance at a sequel even with its all-star cast and devoted following. It would appear that Sony just wasn’t interested in more stoner adventures.
READ MORE: Judd Apatow Has An “Amazing” ‘Pineapple Express’ Sequel In Mind That “Deserves To Happen”
Speaking to Howard Stern recently, Seth Rogen, who co-wrote and starred in “Pineapple Express,” was asked if there would ever be a sequel to the 2008 comedy film. And though he’s not willing to say it will never happen, he doesn’t seem confident that Sony is all that into the idea.
“Maybe,” Rogen said. “We tried to make one and thanks to the Sony hack you can actually find the email when Sony decided to kill the movie and not make it. So, it was something we were very open to several years ago but Sony was not that interested in it.”
READ MORE: Seth Rogen’s Post-COVID-19 Plan: “What Would Christopher Nolan Do?”
“Pineapple Express” starred Rogen alongside James Franco as stoners on the run after witnessing a murder and realizing that their rare strain of weed could be traced to them. The film performed about as well as any Rogen comedy, with a modest budget and a pretty nice box office haul. However, the film also became a cult hit and a classic amongst the stoner crowd, making the idea that Sony didn’t want to invest in a sequel all that more peculiar.
Just recently, producer Judd Apatow commented on how badly he wants to tell another “Pineapple Express” story, so there’s still the chance we could see one in the future. You have to believe that if Rogen, Franco, and the rest were interested in revisiting the “Pineapple Express” world, it’s likely that someone would be willing to give them the cash to do it. But until then, fans will just have to keep revisiting the original.