Vince Vaughn reportedly has a great idea for a second Dodgeball movie – he just needs to get the leader of the Purple Cobras on board and, indeed, back in the game.
Yes, Dodgeball fans, there might be some promising news afoot about a sequel. But the ball is now in Ben Stiller's court.
According to Justin Long, who played team member Justin in the original, a sequel idea is actually ready to go – it just needs the crucial seal of approval from Stiller.
Released back in 2004, Dodgeball saw Vaughn play Peter LaFleur, the owner of a small, dilapidated gym with only a few members. When he defaults on the gym's mortgage, his business rival – the cocky and vindictive White Goodman, played by Stiller – purchases it.
The pair later face off in a dodgeball tournament, which sees the Average Joes - Vaughn's team - face the Purple Cobras - led by Stiller.
Clip via Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers
The supporting cast includes Christine Taylor, Long, Rip Torn, Stephen Root and Alan Tudyk.
Long said he's keen on a follow-up, and explained what needed to happen to get the movie made: “Of course I would love to do it and I hope that it ends up happening, but I think Ben [Stiller] is a little… what he told me on that podcast was that he’s a little trepidatious about doing a sequel to something so beloved, something that people enjoy so much,” Long told ComicBook.com (via IndieWire).
“It’s very risky. You don’t wanna shit on the original, you want something just as good. So I think he’s a little wary of that, of trying to recreate something that was very specific to that time, but I hope he comes around on it.”
Long added that Vaughn is pretty convincing, but refused to give any details on what the sequel would be about.
“I’m just hoping Vince can convince him (Stiller) with his idea," he said. "It’s a funny idea, I don’t wanna say what it is. I know Ben loves Dodgeball and loves that character. I remember how much fun he had playing it. He was always laughing.”
Long said the idea first came about after a 2017 charity event, where Stiller commented on how happy he was playing Goodman.
“When we got together years later to do a little mini reunion for this charity and Ben put on the moustache again, I remember him talking about how how happy it made him playing White Goodman again and how much fun that character was,” he continued.
“I do know that Vince has a great idea for it and it’s just a matter of getting Ben on board.”
Stiller, Variety suggested, might be apprehensive about taking on Dodgeball 2 after he struck out hard with Zoolander 2.
The Zoolander sequel was released in theatres 15 years after the beloved original and bombed at the box office with $56 million worldwide, barely making back its budget of over $50 million. Critics also hated it.
Stiller admitted to Esquire earlier this year that watching the film bomb around the world was “not a great experience.”
