Summary

• The Nice Guys producers reflect son the challenges of making a sequel in today's film industry climate.
• Ken Kao and Josh Rosenbaum discuss the need to be budget-conscious in order to make successful films.
• Some renewed interest in The Nice Guys 2 prompted a discussion on sustainable and responsible filmmaking practices.

The Nice Guys producer Ken Kao and reflects on the Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe-led black comedy and the surprising renewal of interest in The Nice Guys 2. Shane Black's 2016 action comedy saw Gosling's PI Holland March forces with Crowe's enforcer-for-hire Jackson Healy in an unlikely alliance to discover the truth behind a conspiracy plaguing 1977 Los Angeles involving murder, the adult film industry, and an automobile industry cover-up. Despite positive reviews, The Nice Guys only managed to gross $62 million on a $50 million budget.

As The Nice Guys 2 potential has been raised, Kao addressed the movie's current situation in an interview with Screen Rant. Noticing the renewed interest, the producer discussed the original movie's failings at the box office, its current legacy, and how a sequel would be approached in today's more original story-hungry but budget-wary Hollywood climate. Check out Kao's response below:

Ken Kao: Funny enough, Joel Silver had reached out to a mutual acquaintance of mine and brought up Nice Guys this past week, and it sparked a conversation about exactly [that]. Like, "What would it take, maybe, to get [The Nice Guys 2] to happen again?" And I think that we just have to make it on a budget. I think that continues to be the producers' challenge and the filmmakers' challenge now. I think the sign of the times is that we've just got to make films in a sustainable and responsible way. We can't keep having movies that don't work at the box office, and it seems like the streamers aren't going to just cut blank checks anymore. So we've got to figure out a way in this industry to make movies in ways that reward the people that make them. That also are made in a contained way where those that are releasing the films can continue to feel incentivized to do so. And I think that's the task, that's the challenge for us, as producers, to pull that off.

Is Now A Good Time To Announce The Nice Guys 2?

How The Potential Ryan Gosling Sequel Represents A Hollywood Crossroads

While Black was hesitant to pin his hopes on a sequel too early during The Nice Guys' initial release, it is clear from the movie that March and Healy were only at the start of a beautiful friendship by the time the credits rolled. Despite only partially managing to crack down on the bloody conspiracy of the movie, Healy and March still reunite on Christmas Eve as they launch their own detective agency together. With the two left ready to take on cases, perhaps the trajectories of both star's careers may inspire confidence in a sequel.

Coming off a Barbie and a return to action comedy in The Fall Guy, Gosling currently holds Hollywood's spotlight as one of its biggest stars, and his mention of The Nice Guys shows that despite its slim sequel chances, he still holds some interest. Meanwhile, Crowe's surprising supernatural horror return with The Exorcism, just less than a year after leading The Pope's Exorcist, has him in the spotlight once more. An announcement for a sequel at this time could take advantage of The Nice Guys's renewed interest and greater appreciation, and the stars' current careers.

While Kao is optimistic about The Nice Guys' sequel chances, it is clear that the two still hold some wariness surrounding whether the movie could actually go ahead. Alongside acknowledging the factors that led to the original movie's perceived failings, the pair also know that discussion isn't enough to guarantee its fate, and any production would have to consider a changed Hollywood that would want the movie to be managed and profitable. However, with more of the production keen to return, perhaps Healy and March may find themselves with a new case soon.

The Nice Guys is available to stream on AppleTV+