Ben Stiller’s Journey After ‘Zoolander 2’ Flop
Ben Stiller, known for his acting, directing, and producing skills, encountered an unexpected setback in his career with Zoolander 2’s launch in 2016. This sequel to the well loved Zoolander from 2001 couldn’t recreate its original charm or success, ending up with underwhelming earnings. Despite being made on a $50 million budget, the movie earned just over $56 million globally and was seen as one of that year’s major letdowns.
On David Duchovny’s podcast titled Fail Better, Stiller shared his surprise and letdown by stating, “I thought everybody wanted this, and then it’s like, ‘Wow, I must have really messed this up. Everybody didn’t go to it. And it’s gotten these horrible reviews.'” His words shed light on how unpredictable movie hits can be and how viewers might react. This reality holds true even for celebrities like him.
A Fresh Look at Comedy and One’s Career
The unfavourable response to the film made Stiller reevaluate his approach to comedy. He reflected on his doubts about what had always seemed natural to him before.
The shock really hit me because I realised, ‘Was it that severe?’ What frightened me was the possibility of losing my sense of humour, starting to doubt my own judgement. With Zoolander 2, I sure didn’t see it coming. And yes, it got to me for quite a while.” This honest confession shows how deep an effect a career challenge can have on experienced stars.
A New Direction in Career
Even with this setback, the failure of Zoolander 2 turned out to be pivotal for Stiller. It allowed him to pause and think about what he wanted to do next, focusing more on directing instead of just acting in comedies. “The silver lining for me was having room where, if that had been a success and they told me ‘Go make Zoolander 3 now’, or handed me some other project, I likely would’ve dived right into it,” he said.
Rather than taking another acting gig immediately, Stiller decided to pour his creative efforts into direction.
Stiller has received critical acclaim for directing TV crime drama Escape at Dannemora and the psychological thriller Severance. These projects were well received and demonstrated Diller’s range and expertise, earning him a Directors Guild of America award.
Legacy of Movie Sequels
Stiller’s work on Zoolander 2 highlights a common issue in the film industry, the challenges and benefits of creating movie sequels. Here are some examples,
- Tron, Legacy Time Between Films, 29 years
- Blade Runner 2049 Time Between Films, 35 years
- Dumb and Dumber To Time Between Films, 20 years
- Bill & Ted Face the Music Time Between Films, 29 years
- Mary Poppins Returns Time Between Films, 54 years
This trend shows Hollywood’s ongoing effort to bring back beloved classics after many years to recreate their original magic.
Creating sequels presents challenges and unpredictability as they must capture the interest of both new viewers and fans of the original movies.
Looking Forward
Despite the difficulties with Zoolander 2, Ben Stiller stays busy in Hollywood, taking on roles as a director and producer. He’s set to appear in the forthcoming movie Nutcrackers, portraying a workaholic tasked with caring for his orphaned nephews. Also, there are talks about another installment of Dodgeball, A True Underdog Story, showing Stiller’s ongoing significance in both comedic and dramatic cinema.
To hear more about Ben Stiller’s thoughts on his career and movies, check out the Fail Better podcast airing on May 7.
Featured img src – Ben Stiller III, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About the author
Annelise Sylta
Annelise Sylta is an accomplished digital marketing and public relations professional with an MBA from FIDM. Her academic background and industry experience have shaped her strategic approach to communications, branding, and audience engagement. She has also been invited to contribute to The Showbiz Journal, where she shares insights informed by her expertise and professional perspective.
