Few movies have acquired as prestigious a reputation as 1999’s The Big Lebowski.
A cult classic crime comedy from the award-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski offers a tantalizing, laugh-out-loud, often surreal neo-noir mystery involving German nihilists, curmudgeonly millionaires, kidnapped trophy wives, expressionist artists, and the hapless, bowling-obsessed slacker (Jeff Bridges) caught in the middle of it all.
Released to theaters in the spring of 1999, The Big Lebowski has since spawned its own unending legions of dedicated fans the world over, its fame and popularity paving the way to international film festivals, scholarly articles, even full-fledged religious and philosophical movements (like the aptly-named “Dudeism,” so named after Bridges’ lead character).
With each passing year, ardent fans of the film continue to express their hopes at one day seeing a sequel to the Coens’ iconic comedy.
Interestingly, these fans aren’t the only ones who’d love to see The Big Lebowski 2.
While speaking at an anniversary screening of The Big Lebowski at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theater, Newsweek reported that the 75-year-old Bridges was very interested in joining a prospective sequel to his 1999 caper film. Not only that, Bridges also said that some of his fellow cast members from the film, like Julianne Moore, similarly wanted to return for a long-awaited cinematic follow-up.
“Julianne and I would fantasize about [a Big Lebowski sequel],” Bridges said at the event. “We did another movie together, Seventh Son; she played a witch in that movie. And we would often say, ‘Gee it’s all set up for a sequel.'”
Unfortunately, in spite of Bridges’ enthusiasm for the project, the former Tron actor said he highly doubts the Coens would ever set to work on a continuation of The Big Lebowski.
“I don’t think the brothers are going to do [a sequel],” Bridges said. “I don’t think that’s their style. But I must say, they surprise us all the time… If they called me up and said, ‘Hey let’s do it again,’ I’d say, ‘Absolutely, come on.'”
