You read the headline, so let's jump right in. Yes, there are plans to make a sequel to Horrible Bosses, director Seth Gordon's 2011 comedy that starred Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Jason Bateman as three guys with bosses who apparently were just horrible.
Actually, the headline is a bit misleading. There is a point to what we'll agree to call Horribler Bosses. Let's see if you can you guess what it is.
The point of Horribler Bosses is:
- To enjoy the wry comedy genius of Day, Sudeikis and Bateman.
- To answer all the burning questions left hanging at the end of Horrible Bosses.
- To exceed the $209 million Horrible Bosses grossed worldwide.
If you answered 3., go to the head of the class.
In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit I have not seen Horrible Bosses. Since I really like Day, Sudeikis and Bateman, as well as Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell and (occasionally) Jennifer Aniston, it's on my list and I will get to it eventually. But I can't imagine it demands a sequel for any other reason than Hollywood's desire to make a quick buck.
At least Horribler Bosses has a sliver of a chance of recapturing in a bottle its particular brand of comedic lightning. Because, unlike that other pointless sequel, wait there is a point: money Bridesmaids 2, all the key players involved in Horrible Bosses are returning for this hopefully-a-little-funny romp.
Now, all they have to do is come up with a story that works. Based on the plot of the first flick, I'd think this might a bit difficult. I mean, Day, Sudeikis and Bateman hated their bosses so much they wanted to kill them, right? So, what? Do they get bosses who are even worse (i.e., horribler bosses) and decide to kill and kill again?
Or, do they themselves become horrible bosses who are then targeted for death by a fresh crop of employees, an ironic philosophical conundrum (i.e., the abused becomes the abuser) that allows for an unstoppable stream of formulaic Horrible Bosses sequels in which every other iteration features a whole new cast of murderous wage slaves?
I dunno. I don't have all the answers. But I'm willing to bet that if Horribler Bosses doesn't gross at least $100 million, we probably won't have to sit through Even Horribler Bosses…because you know all the leads are renegotiating their deals as we speak.
