Fans have been waiting nearly 10 years for Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe to return for a sequel to The Nice Guys, but the movie’s director explains why that is unlikely to happen. The Nice Guys is a 1970s-set action-comedy starring Gosling as private eye Holland March and Crowe as enforcer Jackson Healy as they team up to find a missing girl and end up uncovering a conspiracy. Despite The Nice Guys‘ strong reviews, the movie was a box office bomb. However, its success on streaming has led to pᴀssionate fan demand for a sequel.
In a featurette interview on Second Sight Films’ 4K release of the movie, writer-director Shane Black revealed that, despite interest from most of the people involved, we may never see The Nice Guys 2 happen. Black said that there have been discussions about what The Nice Guys sequel could look like, including a story set in Mexico. However, he also pointed out that the nature of making a sequel means that it will cost more than the first movie, which is a hard sell considering The Nice Guys was a box-office disappointment. Black shared (via SlashFilm):
I know the rights situation on The Nice Guys is a bit difficult. Joel [Silver]’s a producer, Warner Bros. is the distributor, there’s an oversees company that Ken Kao is a producer on. So to carve it out and make sure — in other words, can you make the sequel? Yes. Will it be financially feasible once you pay off everyone involved, including the actors getting their bump? That’s the problem, is you’re gonna present something that the actors have to agree to, that’s a good script, and that is going to be very expensive and the studio’s going to say, “Well, didn’t the last one sort of bomb at the theaters?” And you say, “Yeah, but we want you to spend twice as much on this one anyway to get everyone back.”
What Shane Black’s Comments Mean For The Nice Guys Sequel
Cult Status Doesn’t Outweigh Financial Risk
While enthusiasm for a The Nice Guys sequel has built considerably since the first movie flopped, Black’s reasoning does paint a pessimistic picture of it ever happening. There are plenty of filmmakers who would point to the fan demand for a sequel as proof that there is interest in more story. However, Black is taking a very rational look at the realities of the movie business and concluding that everyone wanting to see a sequel happen is just not enough to overcome the financial risks.
In the days of video stores, the cult surge that The Nice Guys experienced could have actually bolstered the chances of a sequel happening even after a flop. Rentals and video purchases still delivered a considerable profit to studios. However, that is no longer the case in the streaming era, as a movie suddenly gaining popularity on Netflix doesn’t necessarily help it break even. While the fact that Black has ideas for a sequel he wishes could be made may cause excitement, fans should accept the likelihood that The Nice Guys will forever be an underrated movie that deserves a sequel.
Our Take On The Nice Guys Sequel Looking Unlikely
Unfortunately, It Is Time To Move On
The Nice Guys is an excellent action-comedy that seemed perfect for a franchise. With excellent chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, they make Holland March and Jackson Healy layered and fun characters who could have been transplanted into any number of different stories and still be entertaining to watch. However, even with the occasional swell of fan demand for a sequel, after nearly a decade, it is simply not in the cards.
While a direct-to-streaming sequel might be an option, it is unclear if the original team would be as interested.
The Nice Guys has found a much wider audience since its theatrical release, but a long-delayed sequel to a box office bomb is too big a risk for any studio to make. This is especially true considering R-rated comedies have not been a big draw in theaters recently. While a direct-to-streaming sequel might be an option, it is unclear if the original team would be as interested. However, fans can move on to new interests, including Shane Black’s Netflix movie Play Dirty with Mark Wahlberg, which could be the action-comedy The Nice Guys fans have been waiting for.
Source: SlashFilm
