A Raunchy Owen Wilson Film Is Leaving Netflix

Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn star in the modern comedy classic Wedding Crashers, leaving Netflix at the end of November.

By Sean Thiessen | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

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Grab your champagne glasses and raise a toast to one of the best comedies of the 2000s: Wedding Crashers. Starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn as a womanizing duo, Wedding Crashers became an instant classic in the realm of raunchy romantic comedy, continuing to find life long after its release. Before the film leaves Netflix on November 30, take a trip down the aisle and remember how the world first met its beloved Wedding Crashers and look ahead to a possible continuation of their happily ever after.

Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn crashed into theaters together in 2005. The idea for these debonair disruptors came from the film’s co-producer Andrew Panay, who was inspired by his own experiences meeting women at weddings. Screenwriters Steve Faber and Bob Fisher came on board to pen a script based on Panay’s concept, using Fisher’s knowledge gained by crashing lobbyist events in Washington D.C. to inform the writing.

In a lucrative deal, the screenwriting duo sold a pitch for Wedding Crashers to New Line Cinema in 2003. Director David Dobkin came aboard and capitalized on an opportunity to pair Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in a stroke of divine buddy-casting inspiration. As Wilson and Vaughn sought to steal the hearts of the women in the film, they gained the love of audiences everywhere to the tune of $288.5 million in ticket sales.

The film follows John (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy (Vince Vaughn), two men who use their undeniable charisma to enliven the weddings of people they’ve never met as a means of meeting and seducing women. Things get complicated when the womanizers catch feelings for the Cleary sisters, played by none other than Rachel McAdams and Isla Fisher. They are joined by McAdams’ antagonizing boyfriend, played by Bradley Cooper, and the Clearys’ father, hilariously portrayed by Christopher Walken.

Wedding Crashers is one of many films that have made Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn legendary stars, but it also marked a milestone in the careers of the supporting cast. The movie came in a string of hits for Rachel McAdams, following classics like Mean Girls and The Notebook. For Isla Fisher, Wedding Crashers was a breakout role, and the film served as an excellent stepping stone for Bradley Cooper on his path to stardom in 2009’s The Hangover. 

wedding crashers 2 owen wilson vince vaughn
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers

The financial success of the movie, the brilliance of its premise, and the lightning-in-a-bottle casting of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn has left many hungry for more. And yet, the film has yet to receive a sequel. That, however, is not for lack of trying.

Wedding Crashers 2 has been in development limbo for many years, the pieces never quite coming together. The film gained traction recently, but was stalled again for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is Owen Wilson, whose busy schedule includes the upcoming second season of Marvel Studios’ Loki and Disney’s revival of Haunted Mansion, both expected next year.

Some reports indicate the film is simply not ready. The filmmakers don’t want to rehash what they’ve already done. They are on the hunt for a premise that honors the original, but acknowledges that Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are older now. Things aren’t how they used to be, and the definition of wedding crashing will look different for these men in a new stage of life.

The legacy of Wedding Crashers is undeniable, and fans’ love for the film is enduring. Though the film leaves Netflix within the week, audiences can still say, “I do,” to the marriage of Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn on HBO Max.