Kathleen Turner, a straight-up screen legend who's also never been afraid to cut loose and make fun of herself, has signed on for, let's be honest, probably the least likely thing you ever expected. According to Variety she'll somehow play a role in Dumb & Dumber To, the comedy sequel that itself seemed incredibly unlikely even months ago. Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey are reprising their roles as grade-A idiots Harry and Lloyd, and directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly are returning to direct. In terms of sequels arriving years after the original it's got all the necessary ingredients, and adding Turner instead of, say, a Mutt Williams, can't be a bad sign.
Variety doesn't have any details on Turner's character, and even the story itself is still fairly unknown. Filming is set to start in September, but as recently as this June it looked like it wouldn't happen at all, when Warner Bros. dropped the project from their slate despite commitments from Daniels and Carrey to return. Rumor at the time said that Harry and Lloyd once again would travel across the country, but this time in search of a kidney to help out Harry's illegitimate daughter. Since then Universal has picked up the project, with all the important people still attached, but word about it has been scarce-- hopefully because the Farrellys no longer have to bang the drum in public to try and get the project saved, and now have time to actually write it.
So we've got nothing to go off when figuring out how Turner will fit into the story, and that's fine. I'd love to see her return to her sexpot, Jessica Rabbit and Body Heat days by playing a total femme fatale, like Lauren Holly in the original Dumb & Dumber but with nefarious intentions for our heroes. After all, it was just four years ago that she was back in seductress mode for a stint on Californication, playing an over-the-top, foul-mouthed Hollywood executive. Her voice has gotten deeper over the years, but good Lord can she still deliver dialogue with the best of them:
It's not hard to imagine her blowing into a room and overwhelming Harry and Lloyd in the same way. But if you want a taste of what she can do with much broader comedy, revisit her stint on Friends as Chandler's dad, post-sex change:
Kathleen Turner can do anything-- and that includes shoring up our hopes in a sequel that we really never thought would happen. What kind of adventures do you want to see her cause for Harry and Lloyd? Let us know in the comments.
