Most people who like watching things that are funny were left unimpressed by Horrible Bosses. It was a film that inexplicably starred Jason Sudeikis as a lady-killer, made me dislike Jason Bateman, and managed to waste Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey AND Colin Farrell, all in one swoop. But it apparently made $200 million at the box office, which means … Horrible Bosses 2! After all, everything that makes money, no matter how dire, needs a sequel.
Today we’re receiving news that all the principles – Bateman, Sudeikis and Charlie Day – will be returning for Horrible Bosses 2, as will Seth Gordon, who took directing duties on the original. Jamie Foxx is also in talks to reprise his role and spaces have been left open for original horrible bosses Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston. So … yeah. This is happening. Exactly as it happened last time.
In fact, with John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein back as screenwriters for Horrible Bosses 2, this sounds less like a sequel and more like a retread of the same film. Can we really have a reboot of a movie that was not that interesting to begin with? Does this mean we can expect Identity Thief 2? The Other Guys 2? The Hangover Part IV? Where, I ask you, will it all end?
Thing is, I did not absolutely hate Horrible Bosses in the first place. I just was not all that impressed by it. The idea was good, the cast was good, but the film was lackluster. But if this is going to go ahead, couldn’t we have a bit of a change-up? Maybe cast someone else as the aforementioned employers that are not pleasant individuals? How many bad jobs can these three guys really have?
Whether we want to or not, we will see Horrible Bosses 2 before long. Shooting begins at the end of the summer, so look for it in 2014. Until then … I don’t know. Think about Arrested Development.