Actor and comedian Jim Carrey has explained what it would take for him to agree to a sequel to one of his classic movies. Becoming a superstar for his role as Ace Ventura in the 1994 blockbuster hit, Carrey’s unpredictable antics and rubbery facial expressions were at the center of his humor. As time passed, however, Carrey began to experiment with a broader range of comedies and dramatic films, many of which are now classics.
Regardless of taking on impressive dramatic roles like comedian Andy Kaufman in Milos Forman’s Man on the Moon or Truman Burbank in The Truman Show, much of Carrey’s fanbase remains loyal to a handful of his most famous comedies. A sequel arrived to Ace Ventura in 1995, but it failed to reach the same heights as its predecessor. The same is true of the 2014 follow-up to Dumb & Dumber. These two films mark the only sequels that Carrey has returned for, much to the disappointment of many fans. Though Carrey has spoken about possibilities for sequels to some of his films, overall he approaches the concept with no small amount of skepticism. It’s an understandable attitude, as many of Carrey’s early comedies are now regarded as comedy classics.
Then again, while Carrey isn’t particularly excited about the idea of making sequels, he recently discussed how the concept could become more appealing to him. During an interview with E! News, Carrey was asked if there was any chance he’d consider coming back for sequels to some of his biggest comedy hits. Rather than giving a simple yes or no answer, he spoke about his desire to push things forward with his characters and that it would take the vision of a great filmmaker with a completely new angle for him to agree. Carrey even singled out Christopher Nolan for an Ace Ventura sequel, saying:
I think after the fact when there’s been a lot of years, unless some genius person, director, auteur comes to you with a completely new take on what’s going on, you know. If Chris Nolan came to me and said “I want to make Ace Ventura real and I want to do something, you know, something more interesting…” then I might listen. But for the most part, you know, after a certain time there’s not one cell in your body that is that person anymore so you end up just imitating what you did in the old days and the original inspiration isn’t there.
Carrey’s reluctance does make sense, not just because his past sequel efforts haven’t hit the mark, but also because there can only be so much mileage in one character. Unless a new direction or challenge brings a different side of that character to light, there’s no real reason to return. Often money makes a big difference for many actors when it comes to returning for sequels. In the case of Carrey, however, he recently spoke of his retirement, stating that he has enough and has done enough. With an attitude like that, it’s clear that Carrey really is just interested in exploring intriguing angles in the characters that he plays.
While it could very well be a lot of fun to see Jim Carrey return for a The Cable Guy 2 or The Truman Show 2, fans would do well to trust his instincts. After all, it was those very same instincts that made his most beloved films possible in the first place. What’s more, although sequels to fan favorites are initially exciting, it’s very rare that they end up delivering in the same way that the original films did. Perhaps one day Carrey will end up pairing with a filmmaker like Nolan for a sequel, but for now at least, it’s safe to say that he won’t be on board any time soon for sequels to his classic comedies.
Key Release Dates
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Release Date:2022-04-08
