Despite two $100+ million films in a row in HORRIBLE BOSSES and IDENTITY THIEF, director Seth Gordon has decided to bow out of the HORRIBLE BOSSES sequel, according to Deadline. No new director has been named yet.
Gordon came to prominence with the documentary KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS before venturing into studio films with the Vince Vaughn stinker FOUR CHRISTMASES. He is also the creator of the short-lived FOX series BREAKING IN and is currently directing a new series, THE GOLDBERGS. New Line Cinema is saying scheduling conflicts are the reason for Gordon’s departure, but why would you choose a sitcom pilot over a guaranteed box office hit? Maybe there is more to the story, including Gordon’s deal with Universal to direct ONE NIGHT ON THE HUDSON starring Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis.
I may be in the minority, but I was not a big fan of HORRIBLE BOSSES or IDENTITY THIEF. I like my comedy as broad as the next guy, but neither film did much for me. They both had moments that made me laugh but overall felt long and derivative. Any chance of me seeing HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 now depends on who ends up in the director’s chair.
HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 is due to hit theaters in 2014.