Fan-favorite Kevin Bacon movieFootlooseis 40-years-old, and despite being given the remake treatment back in 2011, the original film continues to be one of the most instantly recognizable movies of the ‘80s. Now, in a time of legacy sequels, Bacon’s costarLori Singerhas revealed she has an idea that could work to bring back the original cast for another dance.
Whether it is beingreferenced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or parodied in one of Seth MacFarlane’s many comedy shows,Footlooseis ingrained in the memory of many who remember it first time out. The film, which captured the hearts of an entire generation with its rebellious spirit and catchy soundtrack,starred Bacon as the dance-loving Ren McCormackand Singer as Ariel Moore, the minister’s daughter who acts as his love interest. The story of Ren’s battle to lift a small town’s ban on dancing, set against the backdrop of a conservative community, became a cultural touchstone of the 1980s.
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Decades later, the possibility of a sequel has emerged, with Singer sharing her vision of where the characters might find themselves after all these years. In a recent interview withPeople, Singer proposed a scenario that reunites Ren and Ariel four decades later. She explained:
“I don’t know if Kevin even remembers this, but I actually had sort of an idea where Ariel grows up and goes to New York where she wanted to be, and Kevin stays there. Kevin stays in the town, and he becomes a bigger deal in the town. That’s where he becomes the town lawyer or whatever. She comes back because her father’s sick. I mean, I just played with that idea years ago and we were talking about it and joking. But that was just something for us to meet on and talk about and laugh about.”
Singer’s pitch certainly has the potential to work, especially if it reunited the original movie’s leads, but following up such an iconic film can also be a guaranteed disastrous move. Bacon himself suggested that when previously giving a “never say never” reaction to the possibility of a sequel on hisSix Degrees With Kevin Baconpodcast.
Despite the differing viewpoints, the fact that a potential sequel is still being discussed after four decades is something that in itself signifies the lasting legacy of the film. Whether it is the music, the dancing or the story’s themes of fighting for personal freedom, there is plenty aboutFootloosethat can still resonate now as it did in 1984.
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As of now, the future of aFootloosesequel remains an unlikely eventuality, but as Bacon himself said, you’re able to never rule it out. With streaming platforms looking for new content, legacy sequels doing decent business in cinemas, and many older IPs being turned into TV series, there are many opportunities for Bacon and Singer to getFootlooseagain.
The original 1984 version ofFootlooseis available on DirectTV, while the 2011 remake can be streamed on Paramount+.
