‘Dumb and Dumber 2′ Is Moving Forward

It’s “only” seventeen years after the fact, but now Dumb and Dumber 2 is not only semi-officially in the early stages of pre-production, but the sequel could also be Bobby and Peter Farrelly’s next directorial effort. The Farrelly Brothers revealed earlier this year that they were planning a proper Dumb and Dumber followup – unlike the widely-despised 2003 prequel, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, which the filmmakers were not actually involved with. However, they’ve (essentially) been too preoccupied with their passion project (next year’s Three Stooges movie) over the past several months to give a sequel much additional thought. Deadline is now reporting that Dumb and Dumber 2 has begun to actually make its way down the production pipeline. Screenwriting duo Sean Anders and John Morris – the sole scribers behind She’s Out of My League, as well as co-writers of Hot Tub Time Machine and Mr. Popper’s Penguins – have been hired to script the Dumb and Dumber sequel for the Farrellys. While neither Jim Carrey or Jeff Daniels are “certain” to reprise their roles as dim-witted buds Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne, the plan is for them to return – along with (obviously) the Farrellys and original Dumb and Dumber producers Charles B. Wessler, Brad Krevoy, and Steve Stabler. Bobby Farrelly previously indicated that, in terms of plot, Dumber and Dumber 2 will pick up with Lloyd and Harry in real time (ie. some twenty years after the first movie) and imagine just what those knuckle-brained characters would “realistically” be doing at that point in their lives. In other words, think of Kevin Smith’s approach to Clerks 2 (for better or for worse) and you’ve got the gist. While there are certainly moviegoers who would want to see Lloyd and Harry (dis)grace the big screen again – especially if Carry and Daniels are playing them – the general masses tend to not get so enthused about any Farrelly project nowadays. Most of their directorial efforts over the past decade (Stuck on You, Fever Pitch, The Heartbreak Kid) have been given a tepid general reception at best – and even many (former) fans now seem to find the filmmakers’ particular brand of shock-tastic gross-out humor tired, rather than hilarious. On the other hand: the Farrelly’s last release, Hall Pass, was arguably a (barely) serviceable raunchy comedy in its own right. Plus, there’s still the hope that The Three Stooges will mark a humorous return to comedy form for the siblings, which could generate more interest in another Dumb and Dumber movie. It would probably help more if the Farrellys were actually writing the sequel too – seeing how Anders and Morris have a somewhat underwhelming scripting resume – but still…

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