Will There Ever Be Another Caddyshack Movie?
When it comes to sports comedies, Caddyshack easily ranks as one of the best in the genre. The Bill Murray-led film has become renowned as a comedy classic over the years, and its popularity was enough to get the film a sequel. But if you’re wondering if the short-lived film franchise will ever get another entry, it’s probably best not to hold your breath.
Part of the reason we may never get a movie is actually because of Caddyshack II. While the original is a beloved comedy classic, the sequel was both a critical and commercial flop. In fact, it’s considered by many to be one of the worse sequels of all time.
Caddyshack Is A Comedy And Cult Classic
We’ll get more into Caddyshack II later, but first, let’s go back to 1980 to trace the reasons we’ll probably never see a third film. The first film was directed by comedy great Harold Ramis and starred Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O’Keefe, Bill Murray, Sarah Holcomb, Cindy Morgan, and Doyle-Murray.
It follows a caddie who is trying to get a caddie scholarship amidst a feud between a country club founder and a new money guest.
Caddyshack was a bit of an unexpected smash hit, with the film being Harold Ramis’ directorial debut and star Rodney Dangerfield being known more for his stand-up than his acting at the time.
Partially because of the star power of Chevy Chase and Bill Murray, the film was able to bring in $40 million at the domestic box office and $60 million globally against a budget of around $6 million.
While it’s not the case anymore, Chase was a big box office draw thanks to his SNL career and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, while Murray was also in the middle of his SNL career.
Caddyshack II Was A Disaster
Of course, Hollywood loves to make money off a successful IP, so Warner Bros decided to try and make Caddyshack II. The studio apparently pushed pretty hard to make the sequel happen, and this is when things started to fall apart. While Rodney Dangerfield was initially going to reprise his role with the film being centered around his character, he would eventually drop out.
Warner Bros was able to convince Harold Ramis to return to co-write the script, and Ramis would later say that Dangerfield was the only one who really expressed interest in Caddyshack II.
However, Dangerfield had problems with the script and began to think the project wouldn’t be successful, causing him to ask for additional royalties and final cut rights. Dangerfield would eventually drop out altogether during preproduction, causing Warner Bros to sue him for breach of contract and settle for an undisclosed amount.
So, this meant the Caddyshack II script that was initially going to center on Rodney Dangerfield’s character would no longer have Rodney Dangerfield. The studio would then scramble to bring on Allan Arkush as director, who later said he didn’t realize how much trouble the production was in after he agreed to direct. Screenwriters Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman were also brought on board to rewrite the script, replacing Dangerfield’s character with a new character played by Jackie Mason.
Chevy Chase ended up being the only cast member of the original Caddyshack to return and later said he regretted the move. Chase’s role in the film wasn’t all that significant anyway, and he and Arkush reportedly had some problems working together.
The rough and complicated production process was obvious in the final product, which received horrible reviews and only grossed $11.7 million compared to the original’s $40 million.
That failure pretty much guaranteed that another Caddyshack movie likely won’t ever be in the cards. On top of that, you have the fact that many of the original creative forces behind the film either wouldn’t be able to participate or would likely turn down the opportunity. Harold Ramis and Rodney Dangerfield have both since passed away, so that’s two important elements that wouldn’t be part of the threequel.
You also have the fact that Bill Murray wasn’t interested in making the sequel, and didn’t, so there doesn’t seem like there would be much reason for him to return all these years later. Chevy Chase would likely not agree to show up either, and based on Arkush’s experiences working with him, the studio might not bring him back either.
At best, Caddyshack could maybe see a reboot at some point, but it’s probably better to just leave well enough alone and just watch the original.
