Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Hollywood demands encore from `Full Monty'

Paul McCann Media Correspondent
Wednesday 01 April 1998 00:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

BRITAIN'S most successful film, The Full Monty, is to get a sequel because the money to be made from one is too good to turn down, it was confirmed yesterday.

The original cast, who made little money from the new film, will be reunited for the follow-up, but are scheduled to keep their clothes on this time.

Scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy's agent, Rod Hall, confirmed that his client was in negotiation for the project and said: "I know that it will go ahead."

The film's makers, Twentieth Century Fox, are keen to repeat the success of the male stripping movie set in Sheffield, which cost only pounds 2m to make but is estimated to have taken in the region of pounds 150m worldwide.

Mr Hall said yesterday that the sums involved make the follow-up a certainty.

"They say that a sequel cannot achieve less than 40 per cent of the success of the last film - it's a statistical fact. So under the circumstances where you've got a film that has taken $225m [pounds 140m] at the box office, it will happen in one way or another."

"The only question is whether Simon writes it or not, but he doesn't want to relinquish his babies to anybody else."

Mr Hall said that negotiations were taking place in California.

With the exception of the James Bond series and the Carry On movies, major British films rarely make enough money to get a sequel.

A Fish Called Wanda's sequel last year, Fierce Creatures, was a disappointment. Four Weddings and a Funeral will have a sequel, Notting Hill, released this year

Mr Beaufoy, who was nominated for an Oscar for The Full Monty script, has already confirmed that he does not want a sequel to be "another stripper movie".

Actor Tom Wilkinson, who played Gerald, confirmed yesterday that the negotiations were taking place. He said: "The only proviso is that we get another great script that's true to the characters everyone's come to love."

The film will be a boon for most of the actors who, apart from star Robert Carlyle, received a fee of less than pounds 15,000 for their work, despite the movie's phenomenal success.

The Full Monty team were said to have discussed the sequel plan with Fox bosses in Hollywood at the Oscars last week.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in