Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Fox, Movies | Tagged: cameron diaz, film, peter farrelly, there's something about mary

There's Something About Mary Director Didn't Want to Make a Sequel

The director of the 1998 romantic comedy film, There's Something About Mary reveals why there wasn't a sequel to the popular teen movie.

Published Sun, 17 Mar 2024 19:17:09 -0500

by Aedan Juvet

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Article Summary

'There's Something About Mary' Director Peter Farrelly rules out a sequel.
Film's 1998 success led to calls for a sequel by the studio, but it was declined.
Farrelly enjoyed making 'Dumb & Dumber' series but felt 'Mary' had a definitive end.
Hollywood often chases profits, but 'Mary's legacy remains untarnished without a sequel.

In 1998, the romantic comedy film There's Something About Mary was released in theaters, starring Cameron Diaz as the titular character, alongside others like Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, and Chris Elliott, playing various men who are in love with Mary, each devoted to proving their feelings to her. While the cast included several young Hollywood stars at the initial time of release, the majority of its cast would also go on to have major careers in the industry, effectively becoming a launch pad for a plethora of talent.

Despite the film's popularity (both critically and financially), there weren't ever any publicized conversations or rumblings about moving forward with a sequel to There's Something About Mary. Which, honestly, feels appropriate given its general sense of finality. Still, we all know Hollywood will pursue profits, which apparently was also the case for comedic films, according to the film's creator. So why didn't we see a sequel to There's Something About Mary?

There's Something About Mary Director Didn't Want to Make a Sequel — Credit: 20th Century Fox

There's Something About Mary Filmmaker Didn't Want to Make a Sequel

Peter Farrelly, director of There's Something About Mary, recently spoke to ComicBook.com, where he was asked about any previous interest in making a sequel to the popular comedy film, with Farrelly admitting, "You know, Dumb & Dumber was the one like you could do ten Dumb and Dumber [movies], honestly, and I really enjoyed Dumb & Dumber 2, the one that we did. And I love those two guys, so… bring it back. Something About Mary, when it came out, they did talk about a [making a] sequel — the studio — and honestly, we were like, 'It ended, that's the thing.'"

Sometimes, it's obviously better to let a film succeed or have a pop culture moment without trying to generate several films just to turn a profit. Let's just go ahead and leave its legacy untarnished, right?

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