The iconic filmForrest Gumpwas once in the planning stages for a sequel to happen, even the idea had fizzled out less than an hour later. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starringTom Hanks,Forrest Gumpwas an instant success when it was released in theaters back in 1994. It was a big hitter at the Academy Awards, earning six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Zemeckis, and Best Actor for Hanks.
Given the success ofForrest Gump, there had been a push for Zemeckis and Hanks to team back up for a sequel. Speaking about the potential sequel in a new interview for the Happy Sad Confused podcast (viaThe Independent), Hanks revealed how there had actually been a serious discussion behind the scenes about puttingForrest Gump 2into development. The problem is that it was quickly realized thatForrest Gumpis probably best left to stand on its own as Hanks and the others were decided against the idea 40 minutes later. From the interview:
“I will say that, with a long time in between, we did take a stab at talking about anotherForrest Gumpthat lasted all of 40 minutes. And then we never- we said, ‘Guys, come on.’”
Hanks goes on to clarify that he’s usually against the idea of doing sequels, only willing to reprise a movie role if there happens to be a strong enough idea that really excites him. Most of the time, that does not happen, and no matter how much money a particular project might pay, it won’t be enough for Hanks if he’s not confident in the sequel’s quality.
“A smart thing I did is I’ve never signed a contract that had a contractual obligation to a sequel. I’ve always said, ‘Guys, if there’s a reason to do it, let’s do it. But you guys can’t force me.’ … There is that natural inclination that is one of pure commerce that says, ‘Hey, you just had a hit, so do it again and you’ll have a hit.””
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Forrest Gump Has Gotten a New Remake
Forrest Gumpdid have a sequel of sorts, as the original novel by Winston Groom was given a follow-up calledGump & Co. The sequel chronicles Forrest’s life throughout the 80s as he gets himself involved in other historical events and celebrity encounters. It’s possible that some elements of this book could have been used forForrest Gump 2, but as Hanks has suggested, talks for the nixed sequel never made it far enough to have anything set in stone.
Meanwhile,Forrest Gumphas gotten a remake, even if it never was given a sequel. It has been retold in India asLaal Singh Chaddhastarring Aamir Khan and Mona Singh and directed by Advait Chandan. The film wasreleased in August.
