Back in 2016, writer/director Shane Black (âKiss Kiss Bang Bangâ) released âThe Nice Guys,â a comedic two-hander that starred Ryan Gosling (âBlade Runner 2029â) and Russell Crowe (âGladiatorâ) in an unlikely team-up an odd-couple pair of private eyes investigating a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star. However, while the film was considered a solid effort, it didnât do gangbusters at the box office, only earning $71.2 million globally against a budget of $50 million. And though itâs become something of a modern comedy classic ever since, picking up steam on streaming services like Netflix, with many fans asking for a sequel, according to one of the filmâs stars, thatâs very likely.
Speaking with Comic Book to promote âThe Fall Guy,â Gosling says sequel talk dried up, citing the animated video game movie âAngry Birdsââ which opened to $38.1 million versus their $15.3 million at the domestic box officeâ as one of their reasons why they had a tough time finding an audience.
âSo much of a sequel, I think, is decided by the opening weekend of a movie, and we opened up against Angry Birds,â Gosling, explaining why a âNice Guys 2â never materialized. âSo âAngry Birdsâ just destroyed us. âAngry Birdsâ got a sequel.â
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Black had initially envisioned the films as a TV project over the 15 years of its development, so it may be something of a miracle he could get it pushed past the finish line to begin with. While not exactly a sequel, there was a report in 2017 that Fox Television (pre-Disney merger) and writer Michael Diliberti (â30 Minutes or Lessâ) were teaming up for a pilot for a female-driven âNice Guysâ series reboot of the film in a modern setting, but sadly, nothing really came of that.
Since the release of âThe Nice Guys,â Gosling has become arguably as close to a global superstar as youâll get, having starred in 2023âs billion-dollar-grossing âBarbieâ and earning an Academy Award nomination for the role in the process (letâs not forget how he completely dominated the Oscars with his âIâm Just Kenâ performance). Perhaps the actor really pushing the studios might make a difference, but who knows.
Next month, Gosling returns to the big screen by co-starring with Emily Blunt in Universalâs âThe Fall Guy,â which could be another franchise starter for the studio. He also recently signed up to star in âProject Hail Maryâ for Amazon MGM Studios, and has been rumored to be on Marvel Studiosâ radar (Gosling has said he wants to play Ghost Rider). Gosling is also looking to reunite with Margot Robbie for an âOceanâs 11â prequel movie at Warners (distributed âThe Nice Guysâ). After the success of âBarbie,â the studio is presumably hoping that one will happen sooner rather than later.
As for âThe Nice Guys 2,â we probably shouldnât hold our breaths, hopefully writer/director Shane Black at least gets to make another movie soon.