Vince Vaughn is reportedly all in for the Dodgeball sequel, a follow-up to the 2004 comedy starring Vaughn, Ben Stiller, and other stars.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story was a hit with critics and grossed $168.4 million with just a $20 million budget.
According to Deadline, the movie is in early development at 20th Century Studios, and Vaughn will likely produce the film.
The outlet reports that the sequel will continue where the 2004 movie left off, with Jordan VanDina writing the script based on Vaughn’s concept for the movie.
The 2004 movie follows a group of unlikely misfits from Pete LaFluer’s gym who enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament with the hope of winning the $50,000 prize to save their local gym from being replaced by a corporate fitness chain headed by White Goodman, played by Stiller.
The movie featured an ensemble cast that included the late Rip Torn, Stiller, Christine Taylor, Justin Long, Gary Cole, Jason Bateman, and William Shatner.
While Long is reportedly open to the idea of making a sequel, Stiller may need some convincing.
Justin Long reveals Ben Stiller is hesitant to join the Dodgeball sequel
In an interview with Comic Book, Long said that Vaughn is “a very convincing person,” and he hoped he could still get on board. It appears that there is hope as the actor revealed that Stiller enjoyed playing the character of White Goodman.
“I know Ben loves Dodgeball and loves that character. I remember how much fun he had playing it. He was always laughing,” Long said.
“When we got together years later to do a little mini-reunion for this charity and Ben put on the mustache again I remember him talking about how happy it made him playing White Goodman again and how much fun that character was,” the actor said.
A Dodgeball television series was also explored as an option
The writer and director of Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Rawson Marshall Thurber, floated the idea of a television series based on the show.
The 2004 movie was the first flick he directed, and he has since gone on to direct several movies, including Red Notice, Central Intelligence, and We’re the Millers.
In a 2021 interview with Deadline, the director said he was willing to make a TV series based on the concept adding that “it would have to be the right take on it.”
With Vaughn’s sequel with a director, it is unclear what potential role Thurber would take in the sequel if he were to get involved.