Believe it or not, The Simpsons Movie came out ten years ago this month. The feature-length episode of the now iconic series debuted to a ton of fanfare back in 2007, and many have wondered whether or not the folks behind the original film will ever dive back into that universe for another silver screen outing (even Maggie Simpson herself teased the idea in the credits of the first flick). Director David Silverman has heard these fan demands, and while there are no plans for The Simpsons Movie 2, he's not against the idea. Silverman explained:
I'd love for there to be another one. We're still a ways away from it. We talk about this and that. We're thinking it over, but nothing's happening just yet..... It's still daunting because it really knocked the stuffing out of us to do the movie and the show at the same time.
So, it's not outside the realm of possibility for the creative team behind the first film to give it another go, but a few hurdles are standing in the way. Producing a full season of The Simpsons is a daunting task in its own right, and adding an entire feature length movie on top of that obviously doesn't make life any easier. If The Simpsons Movie 2 is going to happen, it will occur at a time when the creative team can physically rise to the challenge. After all, we definitely don't want them handing the reigns off to someone from outside The Simpsons writing room.
Then, of course, there's the simple matter of whether or not another Simpsons Movie is worth it in the long run. David Silverman continued in his recent conversation with EW and explained that The Simpsons Movie 2 can only really happen if the right story comes along, saying:
I certainly am cautious about a couple things. I wouldn't want it to be risky in terms of budget, and I would not want it to be anything that we did purely for the money. I would want it to be a really great movie. I personally feel no need for another one unless it's great.
With that in mind, story ideas are lying around that The Simpsons Movie 2 could mine -- remember "have no fears, we've got stories for years." In fact, the first film was originally going to use one of The Simpsons' best one-shot characters -- Albert Brooks' Hank Scorpio -- as its central villain, until the team eventually decided to bring in wholly new character Russ Cargill to take on the bad guy role. Fans have clamored to see Scorpio return since we last saw him taking a flamethrower to a group of soldiers in "You Only Move Twice," so The Simpsons Movie 2 could easily bring him back.
What do you think? Do we need another entry in The Simpsons Movie franchise, or is the world of Springfield better off remaining on the small screen? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
The Simpsons will return to FOX for its 29th season on October 1. For more information related to the rest of this year's major film releases, take a look at our comprehensive movie premiere guide!
