A ‘Great Outdoors’ Sequel Is In the Works
According to actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd, a sequel to the 1988 comedy film The Great Outdoors is currently in development. Reuniting Aykroyd with original director Howard Deutch, the would-be sequel has the working title The Great Outlaws (via The Hollywood Reporter). The sequel will largely be dependent on whether or not Aykroyd can find the right actor to play John Candy's role.
The Great Outdoors, directed by Deutch and written by the late John Hughes, starred Aykroyd and Candy as the fathers of two families who are on vacation together in rural Wisconsin. It received mixed reviews from critics, but had a successful box office run, grossing $43.4 million against a $24 million budget. In 2017, a reboot starring Kevin Hart was in talks at Universal Pictures, but never got off the ground.
Speaking with THR, Aykroyd discussed the new sequel and the challenge of replacing his on-screen partner, who passed away in 1994. “Howie Deutch was a really fun director on the picture. He loved handling Candy and me. Howie and I are working on the sequel, called The Great Outlaws. I am looking for the Candy figure,” Aykroyd explained. “There are some really interesting names, but I can’t say who. Howie and I are tickled to bring back Roman as a Ponzi scheme guy who victimizes a federal agent. Who knows? If I find the right partner...”
Until we hear more about this Great Outdoors sequel, you can catch Aykroyd donning his Ghostbusters jumpsuit again alongside Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters: Afterlife on November 19.