Ever since Zoolander was released on 2001, there’s been talk of a sequel. However while there’s been plenty of rumours and speculation, there’s been little to suggest the main players were genuinely serious about returning to the world of the clueless male models. However, now Deadline Hollywood suggest plans for Zoolander 2 are moving forward, with Ben Stiller keen to play the title character again.
Stiller has teamed up with actor/writer Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder) to work on the script for the film, with Theroux jetting off to Paris Fashion Week to immerse himself in what’s hot in fashion at the moment. Nothing is known about the plot for the film, although Jonah Hill is said to be in negotiations to play the villain. Theroux will also direct.
The sequel is said to have momentum at the moment, largely because Stiller is so keen to make it. The thing that’s apparently caused issues with making a follow-up over the years, is that Zoolander didn’t do well in cinemas, with most agreeing that this was larely due to the fact it was released only a week after 9/11. However it’s been huge on DVD, but Paramount still aren’t sure how well a sequel would do. If they do fund a follow-up, they want to keep the budget low, which means a lot of complicated contract negotations, with actors agreeing to small fees up front, in return for a healthy back-end deal.
As for Owen Wilson’s involvement, there’s no deal for him to come back yet, but he seems quite happy to team up with Stiller in whatever he wants to do, so hopefully Hansel will return as well.