The confirmation that the sequel to the widely renowned 2001 film, Zoolander, is now in the works shocked and excited fans and followers of the movie dubbed as a cult classic despite its relatively low earnings in the box office, according to Coming Soon.
In an interview, the film's lead actor, Ben Stiller, revealed a few details regarding the decision making process that eventually led to the sequel. The star shared that although fans of the film have been clamoring for a second installment, it was only in 2014 that the people directly handling the project came together to seriously consider the possibility of making a sequel.
"Last year, we started looking at it again and it seemed like the confluence of events of everybody wanting to do it, and it got to a point where it actually came together," Stiller shared. "And it's exciting to finally be able to talk about it, too," the actor added, referring to the long process of finalizing the agreements regarding the sequel.
In an effort to stay with the theme of the plot, they decided to make the official announcement for the sequel during the Paris Fashion Week - a move that fans both loved and truly appreciated. Stiller shared that the team though it would be a "fun idea" to let the public know of the upcoming movie. "We sort of had top three designers or brands that we went to and TJ Maxx and Burlington Coat Factory bowed out at the last minute so we went Valentino," the star shared.
It was roughly 15 years ago when Stiller starred and directed the first installment of the highly anticipated movie. Hence, the actor admitted that he "was a little surprised" with the reception they received following the announcement. In addition, Stiller revealed that he and his team had no idea whether the public would still remember or even care about their film.
However, the welcome they received when they walked in the fashion show was a clear reflection of the fans' perception of their return. "It was nice to know that there was a little bit of a connection there that people had," Stiller added.
Zoolander 2 is written by Justin Theroux. Apart from Stiller, the film will also star Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penelope Cruz, Kanye West, and Kim Kardashian-West. It is set for release on February 12, 2016.
