Perhaps one of the most painful box office bombs in recent memory, The Nice Guys proved to audiences that there was still room in modern cinemas for some old-fashioned buddy cop shenanigans. Now, seven years after the release of the Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe team-up, fans are still eagerly waiting for a sequel to The Nice Guys. As always, gossip about the elusive continuation abounds – but how much about The Nice Guys 2 is true, and what’s just fans coming up with farfetched rumours?
You might be wondering why would Hollywood ever consider making a sequel to a niche box office bomb. The issue here is that, yes, The Nice Guys failed to make a splash at the box office – but the movie has become a streaming sensation. Ever since it reached digital platforms, The Nice Guys has enjoyed a renaissance, reaching larger audiences than theatres ever could. This explains why it would be in Hollywood’s best interests to produce a sequel to such a criminally underrated flick.
A Promising Revival?
As much as it pains me to say this, there is no news about a possible The Nice Guys 2 at the moment. At least, nothing official, for now. The increased attention the movie has garnered recently on social media sites can be attributed to just three letters: Ken.
After summer blockbuster success with Barbie, fans are once again reminded that Ryan Gosling is “literally me.” This prompted fans to look at which of Gosling’s less successful films could receive a sequel (definitely not The Believer), and The Nice Guys seemed like the logical conclusion.
Still, without official news, it’s safe to say The Nice Guys 2 won’t be coming to cinemas any time soon. Not for lack of trying, though. As it turns out, someone deeply connected to the first movie had plans for what they wanted to see in the sequel – and they’re every bit as bonkers as we’d expect a sequel to The Nice Guys to be.
The Nice Guys 2 – South of the Border?
This year, Russell Crowe revealed he and Ryan Gosling had already come up with a potential title for The Nice Guys 2. Against most common sense, the movie would be called The Nice Guys 2: The Mexican Detectives.
The idea for the film would be that Gosling and Crowe’s characters, Holland March and Jackson Healy, respectively, would travel south of the US border, arriving in Mexico. After a series of hiccups with the local authorities, March and Healy would have to pretend to be Mexican detectives. That was the gist of the story for Crowe.
While that idea would surely never pass the early development stages, it’s undoubtedly great for fans to hear that 50% of the Nice Guys want a sequel to happen. As for the Drive actor, he’s been keeping himself busy with major blockbusters recently – not that Crowe’s planner isn’t any less crowded.
While there’s an idea, a “title,” and even Shane Black’s blessing to do another film, it seems as if The Nice Guys will have to remain dormant for now. It’s a bummer for die-hard fans of this kind of movie – especially since the original film ended on a clear sequel hook. Still, never say never when it comes to Hollywood’s appetite for unexpected sequels.
The Nice Guys 2 might drop when we least expect it! For now, let’s take a moment to admire the awesome scorpion jacket from Drive again.
