Directors Joel and Ethan Coen have produced some of the most iconic films of all time, from Raising Arizona and Barton Fink to Fargo and No Country for Old Men. Of course, the entry in their filmography that’s arguably penetrated pop culture in a way that the others haven’t is The Big Lebowski. The 1998 crime comedy is a classic amongst most movie-loving circles, and that’s why so many would still love to see a sequel. Members of the cast have been asked about the possibility over the years, providing a plethora of answers. The latest person to receive the question is the great John Goodman, who gave some honest thoughts while weighing in.
The 71-year-old actor memorably portrayed Walter Sobchak – the bowling-loving and one-track minded friend of Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski. Goodman’s performance as the bombastic army veteran has long been revered and, if you’re like me, you probably think it was worthy of an Oscar nomination, at least. The actor has since moved on to other roles but was recently asked about the notion of reuniting with the Coen Brothers for another Lebowski film. The veteran performer didn’t mince words when giving his response, as it was straight and to the point:
No, the Lebowski sequel's not going to happen, but anytime Joel and Ethan have a part for me, I'll be there.
John Goodman shared those sentiments with Looper while promoting the third season of HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones (which can be streamed with a Max subscription). His comments are sure to disappoint admirers of the beloved movie. It’d be interesting to see what Walter would be up to these days and see how his opinions have possibly been changed by the current social and political landscape. But alas, it seems that it’s just not meant to be. At the very least, there's definitely a solid chance that Goodman could work with either one of them sometime soon.
I suppose this shouldn’t be all that shocking, though, as the Coens aren’t exactly big on sequels. During the course of their illustrious careers, they’ve pretty much jumped from one story to the next, seemingly satisfied with the self-contained tales they’ve told. As of late, the brothers (who’ve been working solo more frequently during these past few years) have their hands full with other projects. Ethan, for instance, is currently looking towards the release of his latest film, Drive-Away Dolls, a road trip comedy.
25 Years later, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman And More From The Cast of The Big Lebowski
While a proper sequel to the movie has yet to be made, some of its characters have returned in some surprising ways. Jeff Bridges reprised his role as The Dude for a Super Bowl commercial, and he channeled the character on a separate occasion while honoring John Goodman at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony. There’s also the spinoff flick, The Jesus Rolls, which centers on John Turturro’s somewhat antagonistic character from the movie.
Sequel or not, The Big Lebowski – on its own – still has quite a legacy. Following its recent 25th anniversary, Jeff Bridges recalled how people “didn’t get it” when it was first released. (The actor also discussed those pitch-perfect F-bombs that were dropped throughout.) Considering the initial lukewarm reception to it, it’s amazing that so many people still want another installment and that John Goodman and his colleagues are still fielding questions about it decades later. I’d say that the chances of that production happening are slim at this point. But to partially quote The Dude, there’s always a possibility that “new shit” can come to light on that front.
The Big Lebowski is available to stream with a Hulu subscription, and that same membership will also give you access to The Jesus Rolls.
