John C. Reilly discusses how he knew Step Brothers would be a classic, recalling a sweet story from the premiere event for the 2008 comedy. Reilly starred in the film as Dale Doback, a 40-year-old man child still living with his single father who finds his life upended when his dad meets and marries single mother Nancy, resulting in him having to live with her 40-year-old immature son, Will Ferrell's Brennan. The story revolves around the two as they initially clash with one another but later begin bonding, much to the chagrin of their parents.
Alongside Ferrell and Reilly, the cast for Step Brothers included Mary Steenburgen, Richard Jenkins, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Andrea Savage, Lurie Poston, Rob Riggle, Elizabeth Yozamp and Logan Manus. Adam McKay directed the comedy on a script he co-wrote with Ferrell and a story he developed with both stars, with the movie arriving in theaters in 2008 to mixed reviews from critics but a solid box office haul, grossing over $128 million against its $65 million budget. Step Brothers has gone on to enjoy cult status amongst fans of Ferrell and Reilly and one of the two says he knew from the start they had a hit on their hands.
In honor of his HBO show Winning Time, John C. Reilly caught up with Vulture for a career-spanning interview. While looking back at Step Brothers, Reilly recalled how he knew the film would go on to be a classic with a story from a premiere event where the mom of his co-star Ferrell approached him and said she and her friends loved the movie, which caught him off guard. See what Reilly shared below:
"I could tell even at the premiere. Will’s mom was there with a bunch of her friends, so all of these older ladies were coming up to me like, “Oh, I just loved the movie so much.” I was like, “You did? Why?” I was worried it would be too crude for them. They said, “Oh, we just want to grow you two up.” I realized our characters were sweet enough that people could have maternal feelings toward them. And then 11- or 12-year-olds can also relate because our characters are pretty much kids."
Step Brothers came as Ferrell and Reilly were first building their professional partnership and personal friendship after the success of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, which was also co-written and directed by McKay. While the 2008 comedy may not have hit the same critical or commercial heights as the NASCAR movie, it has remained high on audiences' lists for their favorite Ferrell and Reilly movies thanks in large part to their believable chemistry. Though their initial partnerships may have been successes, Ferrell and Reilly have failed to recapture that same success with their follow-ups Holmes & Watson, which won four Razzies including Worst Picture, and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, which was generally well-received but considered inferior to the original film.
The original film's cult status has led many to hold out hope for a Step Brothers sequel, a possibility McKay, Ferrell and Reilly have all downplayed due to an inability to determine the right idea for a follow-up. Additionally, with McKay and Ferrell having ended their producing partnership over a difference in visions for their Gary Sanchez Productions banner and the latter's relationship with Reilly reportedly strained over his taking the role of Jerry Buss for Winning Time, the chances for a sequel seem low. Though a sequel may not be coming any time soon, audiences can revisit the original Step Brothers streaming on Peacock now.
Source: Vulture