Michael Bacall is about to be the hottest name in Hollywood’s comedy writing circle, as the co-writer behind Project X and 21 Jump Street has already been locked in for the upcoming Tropic Thunder spinoff about Tom Cruise’s Les Grossman. Now, thanks to Project X earning $21 million at the box office this past weekend, Warner Bros. is exchanging a keg and keeping the tap by green-lighting a sequel to the “found footage” comedy about three nerds who throw a massive house party, with Bacall currently working on a treatment.
Man, he’s gonna make House Party 2 look like House Party 2!
Whether the treatment carries over to the script stage will depend on the producers, Todd Phillips and his Green Hat shingle and Joel Silver’s Silver Pictures. Bacall began work on the treatment several weeks before the movie opened. (Via the Hollywood Reporter)
I’d say that’s rather bold, but then so is thinking that a studio would ever be into a story about nerdy kids trying to become popular by throwing a wild party, all told from the perspective of someone’s video camera. Who would have thunk it?
So what about those nerdy kids? Are we gonna bring the Jr. Wolfpack back and catch up with their next round of dry-humpscapades?
It’s unclear whether the actors would return for a sequel or whether the studio has options on the trio, though both seem likely. Warner Bros. found itself without sequel deals for the trio of stars of The Hangover and was forced to pay a premium when it moved to make a sequel. Project X’s success isn’t on that level, nor are its actors well known — it’s the first feature for Cooper and Brown — so there isn’t a real danger of the studio having its back to the wall.
If I can make a plot suggestion, as I sometimes like to do, the three kids should go to Europe before they begin college. I know, it’s a really zany idea, but sometimes this Hollywood game is all about taking chances and expanding your horizons. Then maybe they could all meet up for a wedding in a few years, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.