A Dumb and Dumber Move?

A Dumb and Dumber sequel with Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, and the Farrelly Brothers sounded too good to be true – it turns out that it was. Jim Carrey has just pulled out of the project, citing a lack of perceived interest from the production company and studio.

The original Dumb and Dumber was a box office smash in 1994, earning $247 million worldwide. The Farrelly Brothers, known for writing, directing, and producing hit comedies including the original, were set to bring Harry and Lloyd back to the big screen nearly 20 years after the original. New Line Cinema and Warner Brothers Studios were on board to make the long-awaited Dumb and Dumber To, but apparently they weren’t enthusiastic enough.

Entertainment Tonight says that sources revealed that “Carrey grew increasingly frustrated by New Line and Warner Brothers, who he felt showed a lack of enthusiasm regarding the project.” Carrey’s rep offered a statement from the actor: "I would have thought Dumb and Dumber To was a no-brainer. After all, it's implied in the title." With an established fan base, a strong cast, and past success, most people would have thought the sequel was a no-brainer, too.

Jeff Daniels, who starred as Harry in the original, stated, “nobody’s doing it without Jim,” meaning that the film will likely be scrapped now that Carrey has pulled out. Reuniting the original stars with the Farrelly Brothers was the main selling point of this project. A prequel called Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd was made in 2003, but without Carrey, Daniels, or the Farrellys, the movie bombed at the box office. If Daniels would follow Carrey in leaving the movie, the movie would almost certainly be panned. But does this mean that the sequel will never happen, or that the production company will have to sweeten the deal to get Carrey back on board?

Jeff Daniels is still hopeful that the film will be made one day. In an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan, Daniels said, “I know this, all four of us – myself, the Farrelly brothers and Jim – would all love to do it. Jim’s wanted to do it for a year and a half and we’ve hit some bumps in the road and my hope is, while I completely agree with Jim’s stance on it, you know frustrated and throwing up his hands, I hope that there’s a happy ending and we get to do it.”

There’s been no comment from New Line or Warner Brothers since Carrey left the project, but Daniels’ statements make it sound like there’s hope. So what are the odds, one out of a hundred? One out of a million? Daniels, the Farrellys, and Carrey have wanted to do this project for over a year, so maybe they still do. As Lloyd said in Dumb and Dumber, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance! Yeah!”