Get Smart 2 Is In Production Now

The big screen adaptation of Get Smart starring Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway, hasn't even finished shooting, yet Warner Bros has already greenlit a sequel. Actually, they gave the greenlight before the movie was even cast. And get this, the sequel is also in production now. You read that right, in production NOW.

The Direct-to-DVD sequel/spin-off, Get Smarter: Bruce & Lloyd Out of Control, will arrive in stores 10 days following the theatrical debut of Get Smart. The movie will focus on two secondary characters from the main movie: Bruce (played by Heroes star Masi Oka) and his geeky sidekick Lloyd (played by Nate Torrence).

Confused? Well, the studio wants to avoid that reaction completely and has planned to start advertising the DVD release only after the film's first weekend at the box office.

While I'm usually against these direct to home video sequels, this is a new idea with a lot of potential. Unlike a lot of the other DVD sequels, Get Smarter will actually feature actors from the original film. That has always been one of my main beefs with the direct to home video model. The Mark Cuban concept of a simultaneous release in theaters and on DVD has always interested me. But are people really interested in buying a DVD of a movie they just watched in the theater? If the DVD could be purchased without buying a ticket, wouldn't that prevent people from going to the theater? I've never been quite sure how it would/could work with a bigger release.

This new concept has so much potential. Imagine walking out of Evan Almighty. You enjoyed the film, you had a good time. You walk by the concession stand/box office which is selling a direct to dvd sequel/spinoff of the film which follows a side character (let's call it Pete Almighty). You decide to buy it. This new model has promise.

Now if only they could create a descent story for the DVD sequel, than we'd be all set.