Time to brush up on the 5 D’s of “Dodgeball” — “dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge” — because a sequel to the 2004 hit comedy is officially in the works.
Vince Vaughn is returning to star in the sequel, which is in early development at 20th Century Studios. Plot details are being kept under wraps but Jordan VanDina (“The Binge”) has signed on to pen the script, from an idea by Vaughn.
The original film “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,” followed Peter La Fleur (Vaughn), owner of Average Joe’s Gym, a small and shabby, yet cherished, local haunt frequented by a group of misfits. In order to save the gym from being taken over by Globo Gym, a corporate fitness chain run by White Goodman (Ben Stiller), Peter and his friends enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament with a $50,000 grand prize.
“Dodgeball” was written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, with Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld serving as the film’s producers. With a star-studded comedic ensemble that includes Christine Taylor, Justin Long, Stephen Root, Alan Tudyk, Joel David Moore, Chris Williams, Missi Pyle, Gary Cole, Jason Bateman, William Shatner, Hank Azaria and the late Rip Torn, “Dodgeball” went on to make $168.4 million at the box office.
Fans have been clamoring for a sequel to the raunchy comedy for years, and last November, Long revealed that Vaughn had ironed out an idea for the movie, but was waiting on Stiller’s approval.
“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 told ComicBook.
Whether or not Stiller has come around on the idea remains to be determined, as it’s currently unclear if he or Thurber (who has also been supportive of plans for a sequel) will officially sign on.
While returning to a beloved role is always a gamble, Vaughn has been on a hot streak lately.
Following the box office success of 2020’s body-swap slasher “Freaky,” Vaughn recently wrapped production on the Apple TV+ drama series “Bad Monkey.” His upcoming roles include “Easy’s Waltz,” from “True Detective” creator Nic Pizzolatto; “Animal Friends,” an R-rated road trip adventure featuring Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa and Aubrey Plaza. At CinemaCon, it was announced that he’d secured a voice role in John Krasinski’s animated movie “If.”
Deadline was first to report news of the developing project.
Vaughn is represented by WME, Range Media Partners and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; VanDina by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.
