For years, a third film in the beloved Bill and Ted series was in the early stages of development, and it seemed like the movie would stay in talks forever. Now, in 2020, Bill and Ted Face The Music has been released to positive reviews. Bill and Ted Face the Music isn't the only long-awaited sequel that was released years after its predecessors, with several comedies having come out long after their first movies premiered.
Zombieland: Double Tap
Zombieland quickly rose as one of the most beloved horror comedies of the 21st century. Shortly after the film's success, the writers discussed a sequel, and the director, as well as the original cast, seemed game. However, the sequel went into limbo until 2016, when Zombieland: Double Tap was officially announced with the original writers.
The following year, director Ruben Fleischer signed on to return, and production began early 2019, with the film coming out October that year. The film follows the makeshift family from the original, but this time Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) runs off with a pacifist. The movie was a box office success, grossing about $20 million more than the original worldwide.
Bad Santa 2
The original Bad Santa from 2003 became a cult classic due to its vulgar and unpredictable titular character. After the success of the first film, Bad Santa 2 was seemingly in development starting in 2009. However, it wasn't until 2016 that the movie was released, thirteen years after its predecessor
Bad Santa 2 features ex-mall Santa and con-man Willie, (Billy Bob Thornton) as he gets back into a life of crime with his former elf and mother (Kathy Bates), all while reconnecting with Thurman Murman, one of the only people who ever gave him the time of day. Although it seemed like an anticipated sequel, Bad Santa 2 received much less positive reviews and bombed at the box office.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
Kevin Smith's 2001 meta comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back parodied Hollywood and made main characters out of the most major recurring players in the director's View Askewniverse. In the 2010s, Smith began working on ideas for sequels to Clerks and Mallrats, but he decided against moving forward with those movies in 2017, choosing to focus on the world of Jay and Silent Bob. Filming for the sequel was supposed to begin in the summer of 2017, but the shoot ended up being delayed until February 2019.
The movie was released in October of last year via Fathom Events as a special two-night event. After the Fathom release, Smith traveled around the country with the new film, turning it into a roadshow. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot focuses on the title characters trying to stop the production of a remake based on the comic book that featured the titular goofballs as main characters. The film received praise by fans of Smith's work and is considered a worthy sequel.
Dumb and Dumber To
Despite receiving a prequel in 2003 titled Dumb and Dumberer that involved none of the original cast or crew, the Farrelly brothers classic didn't get a proper follow-up until twenty years after its initial release. In 2011, Dumb and Dumber To was announced, and a tumultuous production history followed.
Warner Bros. ultimately decided against producing the film, and Jim Carrey temporarily left. In 2013, independent production company Red Granite Pictures agreed to produce the film, and Carrey, as well as Jeff Daniels, returned in the lead roles. The movie was a critical disaster and raised moral questions in film production when it was alleged that some of the funds used to finance the sequel were from a stolen Malaysian government investment fund.
Super Troopers 2
Comedy writing team Broken Lizard's most prominent work is arguably Super Troopers, a 2001 farce on the police force. The film depicted idiot state troopers who worry more about outshining the local police department than solving crimes. The initial talk of a sequel began in 2006 at San Diego Comic Con. It was revealed a prequel featuring the fathers of the troopers from the first film was in early development. However, in 2009, it was disclosed that Super Troopers 2 would be a traditional sequel.
In 2015, the sequel was green-lit by Fox Searchlight, but under the condition that Broken Lizard funded the film themselves. This caused the filmmaking collective to turn to crowdfunding, where they raised $4.4 million, which was double their initial goal of $2 million. The movie was released on April 20, 2018, and it exceeded box office expectations. Although not popular with critics, the film seemed to please most fans.
American Reunion
The American Pie series is commonly regarded as one of the most influential teen movie franchises of all time. Although there was an influx of straight-to-DVD American Pie spin-offs in the mid-to-late 2000s, the original theatrical series seemed as though it would remain a trilogy. That was until the 2010s. In talks since 2008, American Reunion entered pre-production in April of 2010, and all main players from the American Pie films were announced t0 return for the fourth film in March 2011.
American Wedding was released in 2003, making the gap between that film and American Reunion nine years. The movie contained the spirit of the original series, and it is a huge slice of nostalgia. The film ended up earning the number two spot in the box office during its first weekend, right behind the first Hunger Games movie. At the end of its theatrical run, American Reunion out-grossed the franchise's third entry, although, it was the least well-received film in the theatrical series.