It has been almost a decade since Adam McKay's Step Brothers debuted in theaters, but the hard-R buddy comedy arguably remains one of the most quoted films in recent memory. The movie's legacy has become well-established, leading many to wonder if Will Ferrell and John C. Rielly will ever return for a sequel. As it turns out, an idea for Step Brothers 2 was toyed with at one point, and it would've followed Dale and Brennan as they joined their parents at a retirement home. Will Ferrell opened up about the sequel while promoting Daddy's Home 2 and explained:
We talked about Step Brothers, and then Adam and I got sidetracked with other things. We had a whole story where John and I follow our parents to live in a retirement community and try to convince them that we earned the right to retire, as well.
Remember that line in the original Step Brothers when Brennan threatens to put his mother in a home when she is of age? Well according to Will Ferrell's recent comments to NY Daily News, a version of that storyline could've played out. Specifically, Step Brothers 2 would've focused on Dale and Brennan as they follow their parents to a retirement home in an attempt to live the sweet life of someone who no longer has to work. The project received quite a bit of attention from its creative team, but Ferrell and Adam McKay eventually became busy with other stuff, and it fell by the wayside.
It's not entirely outlandish to think that Dale and Brennan might believe they have earned the right to start their twilight years early in a retirement community. At the end of the first Step Brothers, the duo managed to start their dream entertainment company, Prestige Worldwide, and they achieved great success creating a karaoke environment in which only talented people could perform. The film ended with apparent confirmation that they hadn't lost the man-child sensibility that allowed them to get into trouble, so a sequel seems entirely plausible.
With that said, the fact that Step Brothers 2 hasn't happened yet isn't necessarily an indication that we won't get this particular brand of comedy in other projects. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are currently in the process of working on their upcoming Victorian Era comedy, Holmes & Watson, which means the comedic partnership forged during the production of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is still very much alive. Even though Ferrell has admitted that he doesn't think Step Brothers 2 will happen, it's clear that they still have plenty of irons in the fire that will deliver the laughs.
We will keep you updated if Step Brothers 2 ever moves forward. Until that day comes, make sure to check out Will Ferrell's latest team-up with Mark Wahlberg when Daddy's Home 2 premieres in theaters next weekend on November 10.
