David Arquette is still down to step back into the insane world of “Ready to Rumble,” but more than 26 years later, getting a sequel made is easier said than done.
The wrestling comedy hit theaters in April 2000 with Arquette and Scott Caan playing two hardcore WCW fans who set out to help fallen wrestling star Jimmy “The King” King, played by Oliver Platt, reclaim his spot at the top after getting screwed over by Titus Sinclair and Diamond Dallas Page.
During a Reddit AMA, Arquette was asked the question plenty of wrestling fans have probably wondered for years: When the hell are we getting “Ready to Rumble 2?” Arquette said he’d love to make it, but the original movie’s box office performance is still hanging over any possible comeback.
“I wish we would make a sequel to Ready To Rumble. It’s difficult because if a film doesn’t make a lot of money when it first comes out, it’s hard to drum up the interest for a sequel. But someone could always start a campaign and write Warner Brothers!”
He’s not wrong about the money part. “Ready to Rumble” only pulled in about $12.5 million at the box office, which wasn’t exactly the kind of number that had Warner Bros. racing to greenlight another one.
The movie still managed to become a cult favorite among wrestling fans thanks to its ridiculous plot, massive WCW presence and a cast packed with wrestling names. Diamond Dallas Page had a major role, while stars including Goldberg, Sting, Booker T and several other WCW personalities appeared throughout the film.
Then things got even crazier in real life. WCW used the movie as part of its television storylines, bringing Arquette onto programming and eventually putting the WCW World Heavyweight Championship on him. Arquette won the belt in April 2000 during a tag team match on Thunder, creating one of the most infamous championship changes in wrestling history.
The title win was supposed to help promote the movie, but it ended up becoming one of the things wrestling fans remember most about WCW’s final years. Arquette himself has spent years acknowledging the backlash while later earning respect from fans by actually stepping into wrestling rings and taking some brutal punishment.
So no, “Ready to Rumble 2” isn’t sitting on Warner Bros.’ release calendar right now. But Arquette clearly hasn’t given up on Jimmy King getting one more shot—and apparently he wouldn’t mind fans making some noise about it either.
Would you actually watch a “Ready to Rumble” sequel more than 25 years after the original? Let us know what you think and leave your feedback in the comments.
