It came as a surprise to everyone when it was announced earlier this year that Robert DeNiro had signed on to reprise his role as Jack Walsh in a sequel to Midnight Run. While not incredibly successful during its theater run, the original film has picked up a cult following in large part due to the report between DeNiro and Charles Grodin playing a gruff bounty hunter and a sensitive criminal. Sadly, the man who wrote the banter won't be involved in the follow-up.
I sat down today at a roundtable interview with George Gallo for his newest film, Middle Men, when he said that he is in no capacity attached to Midnight Run 2 outside of collecting a check.
I’m incredibly happy that they think enough of it to make a sequel. I don’t really want to be involved with it, and the reason I don’t is because I did a really good job 21 years ago, whatever it is, no matter what I do, even if it was as good…if I fall just short of it I can’t win in a situation like that. God bless them, I’m getting a check for it, it’s great to get a check on something I did 20-something years ago. I want it to be great, I really do.
Hollywood could learn a lesson from Mr. George Gallo: if the movie can't be improved upon with a sequel, don't make a sequel. It's somewhat nice that he isn't raging and wishing fire and brimstone upon the people in charge of the new film, but that could easily change if it's so bad that it hurts the original. Too bad we can't have 1970s-1980s DeNiro back instead of 2000's DeNiro.
