Summary
When it was announced back in March that a newMeet the Parentsfilm was in the works at Universal,Disneyseemingly took notice. Now, the House of Mouse has their own 2000s Stiller franchise (via 20th Century Studios) getting a new film as well.
The 2000s were a prime decade forcomedy franchises, and Hollywood powerhouses like Universal andDisneyare looking to recapture some of that turn-of-the-century magic. Nowadays, the only franchises getting multiple installments are big-budget action mainstays like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and theFast & Furiousseries. In the 2000s, you could expect to see sequels to just about any kind of comedy that made a good amount of money. Everything fromThe Hangover,Scary Movie, andRush HourtoMeet the Parents,Legally Blonde, andJohnny Englishgot theatrically released sequels. The list goes on and on: theOcean’sfilms,Madea,Miss Congeniality,Harold & Kumar,American Pie,The Pink Panther, etc. 20th Century Studios is hoping nostalgia can turn back the clock for one specific Ben Stiller-led franchise.
Earlier today,Deadlinebroke the news that 21 Laps Entertainment and 20th Century Studios are resurrectingtheNight at the Museumfranchisewith a brand new film. Although no director has been tapped to helm the picture as of yet, screenwriter Tripper Clancy has been brought on board to lead the scriptwriting process.Clancy is best known for writing the 2019 filmStuberand for being the creative force behind theDie Hartfranchise.OriginalNight at the Museumdirector Shawn Levy—currently busy directing a newStar Warsfilm starring Ryan Gosling—is involved as a producer on the film.
Night at the MuseumIs Returning To The Big Screen After More Than A Decade
Do Kids Even Enjoy Going To Museums Anymore?
The firstNight at the Museumfilm, co-written byThe State’s Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant, released in 2006 with Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, andRobin Williamsleading the extensive cast list.Although critics weren’t in love with the film, the family-friendly romp roared its way to nearly $600 million at the worldwide box office.Two sequels—Battle of the SmithsonianandSecret of the Tomb—followed in 2009 and 2014, with each successive film bringing in less money than the one before it.
Fans of the originalBen Stillertrilogy might be surprised to learn that theNight at the Museumfranchise actually had a direct-to-streaming entry back in 2022 in the form ofNight at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again.This traditionally animated film came and went without much fanfare, but it surprisingly earned the highest critical scores of the franchise.Kahmunrah Rises Againreplaced Stiller with Zachary Levi, but it is unclear if either of the actors would return as series staple Larry Daley or if this new film will end up being a full-on reboot.Deadlineis reporting that the film will involve a “new story set at the museum with all-new characters,” but that could change at the drop of a hat.
Either way, it’s clearDisneyis on the hunt for more franchise fodder as Marvel and Pixar’s usually steady footing continues to look less and less stable.
