F1 has become one of the runaway hits of the summer, and it perfectly paves the way for a long-awaited sequel to a classic sports comedy. F1 brought moviegoers into the world of Formula 1 in a thrilling way, with Brad Pitt starring as the reckless driver, Sonny Haze, looking for redemption in the sport.
F1 was a critical success, scoring 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even more impressive was the box office success of the movie, which proved that the love of Formula 1 is continuing to grow. With F1 earning nearly $400 million worldwide, it has even led to talks of Tom Cruise’s racing movie Days of Thunder getting a sequel.
However, there is another racing movie even more deserving of a follow-up. It is another summer blockbuster with a big-name star and some thrilling racing sequences, and it also happens to be hilarious.
Talladega Nights Was A Great Racing Movie As Well As A Hilarious Comedy
Will Ferrell’s Ricky Bobby Is Another Hilarious Comedic Creation
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby proved that the world of fast-paced racing and drivers with big personalities was the perfect setting for a comedy. Following the success of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay teamed up for another saga about a self-important yet hilarious protagonist.
McKay proves himself more than just a comedy director with the racing scenes feeling exhilarating and high stakes, even if there are still plenty of jokes.
Ferrell stars as Ricky Bobby, a natural racer who rises to the top of the NASCAR scene. However, his confidence is shaken when he is challenged by a brash new Formula 1 driver (Sasha Baron Cohen) who joins the NASCAR circuit.
Not surprisingly, Talladega Nights is a laugh riot from beginning to end. Ferrell and McKay make for a terrific comedy team, never being afraid to lean into the absurd and allowing their colorful characters to run wild. However, it is also surprising how excellent Talladega Nights is as a racing movie.
McKay proves himself more than just a comedy director with the racing scenes feeling exhilarating and high stakes, even if there are still plenty of jokes. Like F1, the movie also achieves an authentic feel by filming at real racetracks in front of real racing fans.
Formula 1 Is The Perfect Way For Ricky Bobby To Return
It’s Time For Ricky Bobby To Step Into A New Racing World
The success of F1 immediately makes the idea of a Talladega Nights movie set in this world so exciting. The movie could follow F1 quite closely, seeing Ricky Bobby fitting right into the Sonny Haze role. After conquering the world of NASCAR, Ricky could come looking for new challenges in Formula 1.
If the sequel could capture some of the same thrills the original’s racing sequences delivered, it could be another sports comedy classic.
This international racing world provides the opportunity to bring a host of other colorful characters into the Talladega Nights universe. It also sets up the opportunity of having Sasha Baron Cohen return as Jean Girard, either as his racing rival once again or as a team owner who hires Ricky.
Of course, the big laughs would come from seeing Will Ferrell’s character arrogantly and ignorantly try to make his way through this new racing world. If the sequel could capture some of the same thrills the original’s racing sequences delivered, it could be another sports comedy classic.
One of the biggest barriers holding a Talladega Nights sequel back is the fact that Ferrell and Adam McKay had a falling out and haven’t worked together in years. However, a project as exciting as this could lead them to reunite and start making great comedies again.
