Superbad 2: Jonah Hill Says He’ll Make It Under One Crazy Condition
Jonah Hill has said that he would do a Superbad 2 when he is 80 years old.
In this day and age when Hollywood lacks originality, you’d think that a sequel or even a reboot of a major blockbuster would be an easy call. Especially one that at first makes people laugh and secondly, one that talks to the younger generation. Oh, and it starred Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader, Emma Stone, and others. So, you have to give writer/director/actor Seth Rogen credit when he says “no” to making Superbad 2
SUPERBAD 2 HAD BEEN RUMORED FOR YEARS
When will Superbad 2 happen? The question has been asked from time to time. A movie that is extremely popular with the teen crowd, one that is considered a comedy classic of its time, surely it deserves a sequel. The answer is it will never happen and it’s not happening because Seth Rogen won’t let it happen.
Seth Rogen has his reasons for blocking Superbad 2 and he explained why (via Movieweb) he has no interest in revisiting the Superbad world: “I think of all the movies we’ve ever made, Superbad is the one I’d 100 percent probably never touch. Honestly, I don’t think it requires improvement or anything to be built upon it. I’m unbelievably proud of it, it really holds up, people still watch it, high school kids come up to me telling me that they watched it for the first time and how they loved it. It’s worked its way into being viewed as one of the better high school movies that’s out there.”
Seems reasonable. Why mess with near perfection? Rogen finished his Superbad 2 thoughts with, “I’m so terrified of subtracting from it in any way with a bad sequel or spin-off that I’d never do it. I have so few actual good accomplishments that I’m horrified to f*ck with the ones I have.”
Of course, we ARE talking about Hollywood. Money talks in every way, shape and form and while Rogen claims Seth, Evan, McLovin and crew will not be making Superbad 2, we’ve learned to never say never. Perhaps fans wouldn’t mind seeing what the group is up to in their 30’s, but maybe Rogen is correct in keeping his hands off near perfection. At least we have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot to look forward to from Rogen and Goldberg.
THE ORIGIN STORY
It’s a shame we aren’t getting Superbad 2 because Superbad was great. The script for Superbad was Seth Rogen’s first big-screen credit though, as a writer, Rogen had previously written for the TV shows Undeclared and Da Ali G Show.
While the movie was produced in 2007, the impetus for Superbad came years prior when Rogen and school chum Evan Goldberg (who co-wrote Superbad) was 13 years old. It was then they began to hatch the story and throughout their high school years added more to it.
The story, based loosely on their experiences, was about two high school pals, “coincidently” named Seth and Evan, who are seniors in high school and plan to go out on a very high note. They want to party and lose their virginity.
While the idea is not terribly original, the setup and comedy was something audiences loved. The pair even stated that not only is the story based on their own experiences, but the character of Fogell/McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) was also a real character from their childhood.
The budget for the comedy was set at $20 million, which even in 2007 was a relatively low figure. The movie starred Michael Cera (Arrested Development, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Jonah Hill (Accepted, 21 Jump Street), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kick-Ass, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising), and Emma Stone (Zombieland, Battle of the Sexes).
Initially, the movie was set to star Rogen as Seth but trying to get him to look like a high school student wasn’t happening, so instead Rogen played the highly irresponsible police officer Michaels opposite Bill Hader as Officer Slater. The movie was directed by Greg Mottola and produced by super-producer/director/writer Judd Apatow.
The comedy was immediately a classic and on that $20 million budget, it pulled in $170 million. Not a bad return for a teen comedy and usually the kind that would guarantee a Superbad 2.
JONAH HILL WILL MAKE SUPERBAD 2 WHEN HE’S 80 YEARS OLD
Well, Seth Rogen may not want to make Superbad 2, but apparently, Jonah Hill is not only willing to make Superbad 2 but eager for the chance. The only catch is he doesn’t want to make the movie now — he wants to make the movie in a little over 40 years. The star told IGN he would love to make a sequel to the film, but not until he’s around 80 years old.
Jonah Hill told IGN, “What I want to do is when we’re like 80, do a Superbad 2. Like, ‘old-folks-home Superbad.’ Our spouses die, and we’re single again. That’s what I want Superbad 2 to be, and that’s the only way I would ever make it.”
So, definitely bad news for anyone waiting for a Superbad 2 in the next few years. But hey, Jonah Hill is 38 years old (in spite of his claim that he’s 68 on Instagram), so just mark your calendars 2064 or so, and get ready to possibly see Superbad 2 in whichever crazy method we’re watching movies by then.
JUDD APATOW WANTED A SEQUEL
We are now 15 years post-Superbad and the film that many (including most of the big-name actors from the film) think cannot be improved upon is again in the news (you’re welcome). We have heard from most of the stars and creators of the hysterical high school comedy and now, it is time for Judd Apatow to speak up about a possible Superbad 2 film.
Apatow appeared on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast to talk about a number of things over the one-hour and 35-minute interview. One of the things they touched on was the possibility of a Superbad 2, especially since co-creator Seth Rogen has come out defiantly against a sequel. Not only has Rogan expressed his desire not to do a sequel, Jonah Hill also said he’d do one, but it’d have to be when the principal actors are in their 80s and in an old folks’ home.
Add to that, Michael Cera expressed his doubts as well. “I mean, I would be open to just doing anything with that group of people,” Cera said via Indiewire. “I think that everybody is pretty staunchly against this, just because we feel good about the movie. It could only tarnish something that is a good memory. That said, I would just love to do something with the same group of people, even if it’s not ‘Superbad.’”
Christopher Mintz-Plasse, who played McLovin, said his choice would be to make a female version, and “if there was a way to do it, [a female version] would be the way, for sure.” McLovin then added, “I’ve heard from some of the people who made the first one, and I don’t think they want to touch it.” So, what does the head honcho have to say about it?
Apatow pitched his initial idea of a Superbad sequel, “I always wanted them to do a sequel to Superbad,” Apatow said to Rosenbaum “I know that Jonah [Hill] said ‘Oh it’ll be funny to do it when we’re 70 or 80,’ but I really wanted them to do a Superbad in college where Jonah flunks out of college and just shows up and visits Michael Cera at college.”
But as Apatow was trying to convince the fellas for one more Superbad outing, “Everyone was like ‘Nah we don’t want to screw up Superbad by accidentally making a crappy second one,’” he explained to Rosenbaum. “And I would always say the same thing: ‘Well that’s like saying don’t make the second episode of the of The Sopranos. Like, so why do you think we would screw up the second one?’”
So, for now, it doesn’t appear a Superbad 2 is in the works, despite Apatow’s desire to make one work. Maybe the boys will have a change of heart. Maybe they will actually wait until they are in their 70’s or 80’s and make a Superbad 2: The Old Folks Home.
