It’s been nearly 20 years since Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story came out, and ever since then, fans have been clamoring for a follow-up to the hit comedy. According to actor Justin Long, a sequel could be coming — should Ben Stiller approve.
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Speaking to ComicBook.com in a recent interview, Long was asked about the possibility of a sequel to the 2004 film. According to Long, an idea for a new film has actually been discussed, but Stiller — who starred in the original as Globo Gym owner White Goodman — has been hesitant to doing a sequel to something as beloved as the first film.
“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 said. “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 went on to joke that Vince Vaughn (who co-starred in the original) could be very convincing, however, potentially leaving the door open for the film to happen. Long also said he knew what the sequel’s premise was, but didn’t want to spoil it because of how funny it is.
“Vince is a very convincing person, so I’m just hoping Vince can convince him with his idea,” said Long. “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.”
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Originally released in 2004, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story was met with hugely positive reviews from critics and fans alike, with the film grossing almost $170 million in its time. The comedy also spawned a huge following, as well as a ton of different catchphrases that fans still remember to this day. The movie is also famous for having created “ESPN8: The Ocho,” a fictional sub-channel of ESPN that features more outlandish sports. The actual ESPN has since begun paying homage to the idea, by airing a day-long “ESPN8: The Ocho” marathon.
