Sequel Q&A: Ferris fans 'want to see it made'

Rick Rapier didn't grow up in Shermer, Illinois. Probably didn't have his name painted on any town's water tower. Almost assuredly didn't lick his palms, fake stomach cramps, skip gym class and sneak into the city to eat pancreas at a fancy French bistro.

But if he can defy all the odds and sell his script for a Ferris Bueller sequel, he might go down in history as just as much of a legend as the fictional teen made famous by Matthew Broderick in the 1986 flick. (Click here to read a full scene from the script)

Rapier gave a copy of his script of "Ferris Bueller 2: Another Day Off" to Stuck in the 80s to review and then agreed to sit down and answer some of the inevitable questions facing his seemingly impossible challenge. (See what the critics are already saying)

Stuck in the 80s: What made you choose Ferris Bueller for a sequel?

Rick Rapier: "I feel like it chose me! A couple of years ago, I had just had lunch with a couple of friends. ... We stopped to chat before going our separate ways and it happened to be in front of a Blockbuster Video where there were like half a dozen sequel posters on the windows."

"We got to complaining about sequels, especially me since I have been wanting to break in at the studio level and tell my own new stories as movies. My older friend said, 'Now there's a movie they should have made a sequel for!' He pointed to a large Ferris Bueller poster. I don't really know why it was up there since it was about 2 years before the release of the 20th Anniversary Edition DVD. ..."

"I instantly began spinning a yarn based on what I knew: for one thing, there is only one Ferris Bueller -- Matthew Broderick. They pulled off switching us from Sean Connery to Roger Moore, but there is no replacement for Matthew Broderick. So, right away I knew that any sequel would have to take his age into account, which would make it set in the present. And unless he took a major blow to the head, he wouldn’t still be in high school."

"And so it went. The story just bloomed from there. And soon it became a Ferris story that I wanted to see myself. When I told my friends the premise, they agreed. Since then a number of Ferris fans have read it, and they all want to see it made."

Still, writing a sequel to a classic like that -- a daunting task.

"I had never thought of writing a sequel to someone else's movie. Getting a spec script sold is a monumental feat, and it's even rarer to see one made.  Add to that the hole-in-one this would have to be. But I did some research and learned that no one, including the great John Hughes or Broderick --  at least in any published information --  had ever thought of a possible Ferris' future as I had.  And again, I just really wanted to see this as a movie one day."

Where do you place the original movie among the great 80s teen movies?

"The best. Clearly, the best. It is a perfect movie, and not just for teens or people stuck in the 80s!"

"One of the things I think is so admirable about what John Hughes did with Ferris was to craft a film which appeals to so many people, that tapped into something that resonated with just about everyone.  I think I've met one person who didn't like the original. He thought Ferris was a jerk. A jerk?  Are you kidding me!?"

I noticed you brought back all the old characters for the sequel. How difficult was it figure out where to put them all?

"I felt that there were moments that really resonated with people, characters that were favorites, all of whom were so fully realized by Hughes and his great actors. Even the bit parts were indelible, Grace (Edie McClurg), Rooney's secretary, and even guys like the parking garage attendant. So, I didn't want to leave anyone out, and I also realize that the actors who helped realize the first movie would feel left out if there wasn't a part for them in, perhaps, one of the longest awaited sequels in film history." ...

"There was only one significant character that didn't fit in the end (the maitre d' at Chez Quis).  I had placed him in a scene excised early on (in Vegas), but that scene slowed down the pace. Besides, that guy would've been offed by a disgruntled employee before the 80s were even over. Still, if I were casting director I’d still cast that actor (Jonathan Schmock) as perhaps the police captain or someone, just to put them in the sequel."

How many people in the movie biz have seen your script? Any feedback yet?

"Only a couple. I knew that it was a great idea, something even Hughes hadn't considered (it would seem), and since only Paramount has exclusive rights to make a sequel, I felt I needed to be guarded about who read it. ..."

"Instead of Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon, I tried Seven Degrees of Matthew Broderick and Execs at Paramount. Neither worked. Most recently a well-known producer passed on the script ... because he felt Ferris trading on his persona in adulthood was to 'lose the power of his character.'  As a huge fan of the original and of Ferris in particular, I feel he couldn’t be more off the mark."

What do you think Matthew Broderick or John Hughes would say if they read it?

"That is a tough question to answer! ... My hope would be that John Hughes would be thrilled that someone who has been inspired by his work ... has gone to the effort to write a sequel in the spirit of the original. But it's possible that Hughes would be offended, that maybe I've stepped on his toes.  God, I hope not!  But I know Hughes is semi-retired now.  But maybe his son James Hughes, who is a director now, could helm it with his John executive producing?  How cool would that be!"

"As for Matthew Broderick...  I love this man's work, too. That's not fawning; it's just true. How could I not feel this about the actor who played Ferris?  My hope is that he would 1) want to read the script, 2) love the script, and 3) immediately choose to make the sequel."

"Now, that's not too much to ask, is it?"

Comments

[nick]

it is always the scripts that get shuffled around and turned down time and time again that when they finally get made and are brilliant that these talking heads in the studios all kick themselves for passing on ,, save yourself the problem this is a great idea dont pass it up!!!

[BME]

Who wouldn't want to see all of these great actors and characters together again? I am looking forward to the day that this movie is made.

And I believe that if Abe Froman was in the movie biz, he would recognize this huge opportunity, and would move on this project immediately.

This is an amazing idea! If Hollywood doesn't make this movie they are idiots...

[Angie Klee]

I am going to run out and buy my "Save Ferris" t-shirt right now! This sequel is LOOOOOOOONG overdue and Mr. Rapier's version sounds hysterical. Good luck! Bueller, Bueller, Bueller?!

Save Ferris... Save Ferris.... come on Hollywood let's do it!! Take a chance on Rick Rapier who seems to be a real stand up guy!!

[JIM MCGRATH]

IF HOLLYWOOD DOESN'T TAKE ACTION TO MAKE THIS MOVIE,A GREAT MISFORTUNE WILL HAPPEN TO ALL THE DEDICATED FERRIS BUELLER FANS
MAKE IT HAPPEN,PLEASE
THANK YOU J. MCGRATH

[Bassnote]

Great idea, but the odds of some exective in Hollywood actually using his or her brain and getting it done, are very much against Mr. Rapier. I wish him luck though.

[RMP]

This idea got me thinking about other John Hughes films. Perhaps those of us who grew up with these films have a curiousity about how the characters turned out twenty years later. Take "The Breakfast Club". What would a class reunion be like? I'd pay to see it if it were written in the spirit of the original.

That's what made John Hughes films of the 80s so great. Every one of them had a character that someone in the audience could relate to. I could relate to Ferris' Cameron. I could relate to Breakfast's Brian. Maybe those of us who related to them want to see if their lives turned out any different than ours.

[Teri]

This would be so awesome! I would LOVE to see a sequel done, I would do go to the theater for that!

[Douglas Arthur]

Even on the incredibly outside shot that this script is picked up it will get re-written and mangled and improved over until maybe 3 lines of dialogue of Mr. Rapier's script is intact, and it will be a diluted piece of crap. It is fun to play the fantasy game, but in reality, this will never happen the way we would all like it too.

[Tamara]

OMG! This is hilarious! It would be like seeing a good old friend. "You tore your dress, what a mess, I confess"........LOVE IT!

[Chase]

Try contacting Wayne Newton! He owes Ferris, big time. It's because of Ferris that I've gone to see Wayne Newton in concert three times!

[JC]

ROCK ON FERRIS!!!!!
This is an awsome idea---If I could I would buy tickets now...

[Joan]

Why does this movie need a sequel? Most sequels just rehash the first one anyway. What's this one about, Ferris playing hooky from work? Nah, I don't think so.

Joan, was the first Ferris only about a teen ditching school? Or was it about much more? Didn't he teach his friend Cameron a lesson about life?

So, isn't it possible that Ferris takes off from work in the sequel for interesting reasons, ones that Steve hasn't shared with you yet?

[Vince]

Mr. Rapier sounds like a really happy guy. Sounds pretty optimistic also, but the original movie is so iconic that a sequel would have to make money. It is a bold adventure and I hope he finds someone that is bold enough to help him get this movie made.
Good luck Dude,
Vince

[Stacey Wheeler]

Ferris Bueller is such a cool and funny character--who wouldn't want to see what antics he would be up to in his 40's?! Of course he would have to be a successful busnessman who would only need one thing. . . A DAY OFF!!! It sounds like Rapier has his finger on the pulse of the original Day Off and has created a new story for today that might provide a few laughs like the original movie did. We live in the age of sequels (Die Hard, Bourne, etc.) and if the original actors would agree to be in this movie, I think it would be a great hit!

[Gayle Gutierrez]

I would definitly pay money to see this Sequel! And Farris could never lose his cool because the sun never goes down on a cool guy!

[Leslie H]

Gayle I am with ya on this one. The sun NEVER goes down on a cool guy ... the sun always shines in Hollywood. SAVE FERRIS!!

[Kim]

This is a great idea. Everyone always loves to see how the people they knew in high school turned out. Seeing the actors in Ferris reunited would be just a lot like that. This is something I would go to see.

I cant wait!!!!

[Tim]

what an amazing idea if the script is good and not just another bad sequel would love to see what ferris is up to.

[Chris]

Save FERRIS!!!! Heck ya this is a good idea. The first movie made a huge impact on the movie world, I see no reason why the second day off would be different.

[The Lucks]

Just as we could relate to a day off as high school students, we can definitely relate to a day off from our 30-40 something, mundane rat-race! Cheers to Mr. Rapier and let's hope we can all watch this film over popcorn and Mike and Ikes!

[jb class of 88]

Ferris is a true classic. I love that Rick respects that and wants to expand on the original. SAVE FERRIS! I hope we get a chance to see the final product.

[dherschell]

Stay with it! I think you will continue to find that there is a lot more support out there for this movie idea than what you originally even hoped for. Everybody that likes the idea should be telling their friends to check it out as well. Lets get Hollywood off its butt and get this thing going.

[Jax Hill]

Sounds like Rick has done his homework and is a true fan. I think his script ideas are phenomenal, and look forward to seeing Ferris' next day off!!

[RHS]

What a fun thought, that there still might be something to learn from Ferris and his (unquestionably) unique take on the chore that middle age can be...I'd love to see this movie made. No, I NEED to see this movie made, good luck Mr. Rapier.

[Murph]

And while we're at it, re-make Citizen Kane and Gone With The Wind... By the way, I'm not serious and neither should anyone with an idea of a sequel to FBDO. Just because some poor writer can't sell an original screen-play and has to resort to "sequel-itis" is laughable. 'SAVE FERRIS' should read "LEAVE FERRIS ALONE".

Hey, let's dig up John Candy and do a "Planes,Trains, & Automobiles" sequel??!!

[Marissa]

Murph, no one is talking about RE-MAKING FBDO. It's a movie about "what ever happened to?" I believe Mr. Rapier is doing what any writing hopeful would do when trying to break into the business: find a niche that works, let the 'talking heads' know he's an excellent writer and THEN bring on the original works. Stop being such a pessimist and think less like Cameron and more like Ferris!
I think this brilliant idea could work in the right hands in Hollywood. I've seen them try to re-invent the Honeymooners, Guess Who's Coming to dinner and various other films. They didn't work (even though made) because they stepped too far away from the original premise.
This film is about "whatever happened to our favorite teen?" is absolutely right on! It may be a long shot, but isn't that what the movies are all about? WE WANT FERRIS AT 40!!!!

[luke]

I couldn't have said it better Marissa!

[T Geil]

I say, MAKE THE MOVIE! I love Ferris..and I would go see the sequel as well. Heck, I would go see it just as many times as I saw the original...I believe that was around 20!

[Tiffany]

What a great idea! Everyone loves Ferris and Rick's ideas make the sequel sound better than the original. I would see it!