Paramount Tries Again for DTV Sequels
Filed under: Paramount, Universal, Home Entertainment, Remakes and Sequels
Now that Paramount has hired Louis Feola to head its direct-to-video (DTV) division, the studio is hoping for a lucrative business of cheap sequels. Paramount made a small attempt last year with Save the Last Dance 2, but it wasn't nearly as successful as the small-screen hits that Universal has been dumping out. Feola used to work for Universal Home Entertainment, where he oversaw DTV sequels to American Pie, Darkman and Tremors. According to Variety, Feola will be mining through Paramount's back catalog, including the films of Paramount Classics, Paramount Vantage, MTV and Nickelodeon, to produce 4-6 sequels, each budgeted at less than $10 million. The first, which has yet to be determined, will be released in late 2008. Variety mentions sequels to Airplane! and The Naked Gun, but the trade is probably just speculating with these titles.
Although I hate the idea of DTV sequels, I have some ideas of Paramount films that could be exploited without upsetting too many fans. The following could be easily and cheaply made and could also provide guilty pleasures to the same kind of people who enjoy the American Pie spinoffs: Teen Wolf, Hiding Out, Summer School and Ladybugs -- of course, each of these would have to be made more R-rated than the originals. Maybe they can even restart the Meatballs franchise?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-01-2007 @ 7:22PM
Scott Weinberg said...
I'm genuinely fascinated by the DTV movie trend, especially when it involves lame-ass sequels to bona-fide classics. (I mean ... Slap Shot 2? C'mon!)
But if Paramount plans to go forward here, I do have a few suggestions:
April Fool's Day 2: Fool2k8 -- Jared Leto, Jake Gylenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Zooey Deschanel, Sam Rockwell, Justin Long, Ice Cube, Ice T, Fred Savage, Jennifer Runyon, William Atherton, Eddie Deezen and Louise Fletcher. Rob Zombie's production designer can direct.
Blue City 2: Miami Boogaloo -- Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy reunite. This might be a good tie-in with the original Blue City DVD, in that nobody's ever heard of it and they might think it's new.
Coming (Back) to America -- That Ravyn kid can play the daughter of the Eddie Murphy character.
D.A.R.Y.L. Strikes Back -- Robo-kid grows up and wreaks gory vengeance on his oppressors.
Dragonslayer vs. Dragonheart -- Universal would be involved, but that's a movie I'd see.
Fowl Play -- Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn reunite for a comedic murder mystery that takes place on a chicken farm.
Flashdance: Brooklyn Nights -- With a Jennifer Beals cameo, of course.
Footloose 2: The Preacher -- Lithgow goes psycho and hacks up the whole dance-happy town.
Going Ape! Again! -- Who doesn't love Tony Danza?
Revenge of the Golden Child -- That Ravyn kid can play the daughter of Eddie Murphy's character.
Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again... Again -- Ugh, too obscure? I'm such a nerd.
Let It Ride ... Twice! -- I actually liked Let it Ride.
My Bloodier Valentine -- Oooh, let me write this script.
Paternity 2 -- Imagine all the viagra jokes. Someone get Burt Reynolds' agent on the phone.
Popeye Returns -- Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall reprise their roles, of course.
Prettier in Pink / Another Kind of Wonderful -- It could be the mid'-80s teen angst romance version of Grindhouse.
Prophecy 2 -- Oooh, I could write this one, too.
The Revenge of Rustler's Rhapsody -- Berenger's back ... and not so sweet this time.
She's Having Another Baby -- I'd actually like to see this one.
Trading Places 2 -- That Ravyn kid could play the daughter of Eddie Murphy's character.
We're Still No Angels -- Ashton Kutcher and Tom Arnold pose as priests. Demi Moore reprises her role.
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