In 2008, cable news commentator Bill Maher unleashed his documentary Religulous on the public. In the film, Maher questions religion’s place in society while holding a microscope on contemporary practices, methods of worship, and actions taken by extremist groups in the name of benevolent forces. As Maher travels to different areas where religion is a powerful presence, he explores the organized religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mormonism, TV evangelism, and Scientology, with detours into pagan cults and ancient Egypt. You can see how a movie like this would be controversial. What if we told you a Religuluous 2 could be on the way?
Speaking with Sharon Osbourne on his Club Random With Bill Maher podcast, Maher revealed he recently went to dinner with Borat and Religulous director Larry Charles. While sitting comfortably on his set adorned with libations, cheeba, and faux brickwork, Maher told Osbourne, “We might do a sequel,” concerning his 2008 documentary.
After dropping the tease of a Religulous 2, Maher recalls the filming process for the original, saying he’s still flabbergasted about being permitted to film in his old church. “I don’t know who was doing PR for this church, but they’re going to rot in Hell,” Maher told Osbourne. “I’m telling you, I don’t even believe in Hell, but this idiot… To let me into the church, doing a movie about religion?”
Maher, unafraid of tackling hot-button topics of any kind, could team up with Larry Charles for another in-depth dissection of today’s religious climate. When you stop to consider how much the subject has changed since 2007, when Maher shot the film, there’s no telling what he’ll bring to the discussion.
In the years since Religulous‘ release, Charles continued his tradition of working alongside controversial yet entertaining figures like Maher Sacha Baron Cohen. Charles followed up Religulous with 2009’s Brüno and Cohen’s The Dictator in 2012. As a producer and director, he’s worked extensively on Larry David’s comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm and is a celebrated comedic community member.
Let us know in the comments below if you would be interested in Bill Maher and Larry Charles joining forces for Religulous 2.