Sometimes a sequel comes to fruition that you didn't know you needed until you hear about it. That is the very case with 2006's John Tucker Must Die, a film that didn't seem to have a sequel on the radar until now, as the cast of the cult hit just recently confirmed.
Per Entertainment Weekly, Arielle Kebbel, Jesse Metcalfe, and Sophia Bush, who starred in the original film, attended Epic Cons in Chicago on Sunday to celebrate the 18th anniversary of John Tucker Must Die. During the panel to commemorate the film's 18th birthday, the cast confirmed that a sequel is in the works, and they are all willing to return for it, with Metcalfe initially teasing the crowd that he has heard about the 'amazing' sequel script circulating around Hollywood, and he then added, 'I'd definitely love to be part of it, and I can't wait to read it.'
Most of the confirmation came courtesy of Kebbel, who is actually involved in producing the sequel and has personally been the one pushing to get it made. The actress said, 'The rumor is true. I started producing a few years ago. There is a script. We are very proud of it. It does involve all of the OG cast.' Kebbel even teased the concept for the follow-up by saying it 'blends some very cool new cast...That's pretty much all I can say for now.'
Not to be left out, Bush indicated her interest in the sequel by saying, 'Ready. To. Go.'
John Tucker Must Die, which also starred Penn Badgley, Ashanti, Brittany Snow, and Taylor Kitsch, was directed by Betty Thomas and is loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor. The film follows a trio of teenage girls who plot to break the heart of school basketball player and playboy John Tucker after they learn he has been secretly dating all three and pledging that each of them is 'the one.' Their revenge plot involves recruiting a shy, unpopular girl in school to publicly humiliate him.
While not well received by critics, with a 27 percent rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was a modest box office hit when it was released in 2006. On a budget of $18 million, the movie went on to gross $41.9 million domestically and $68.8 million worldwide. In the years since, the film has gained a bit of a cult following, something that Kebbel referenced as a reason a sequel could even be possible. The actress said the fandom, 'is definitely inspiring and a huge part of this, and it definitely, definitely has been a very special thing to see the love and support of this almost 20 years later.'
John Tucker Must Die is currently available to rent from usual VOD services.
