In the early 90s, Peter Farrelly was one of the biggest filmmakers in comedy cinema, alongside his brother and collaborator, Bobby Farrelly. The duo brought classics like Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and Shallow Hal to the big screen. However, in the late 2000s, Bobby took a step away from Hollywood for personal reasons, and Peter ventured into drama, winning two Oscars for his movie, Green Book.
In 2024, Peter will return to the comedy world with Ricky Stanicky. With superstars Zac Efron and John Cena leading the movie, it’s shaping up to be a return to comedic form for Farrelly. However, there is a interesting story behind the making of this anticipated movie. So, let’s dive into that and break down everything we know.
What Is the Plot of Ricky Stanicky?
Ricky Stanicky follows the story of three best friends who get themselves into a very tricky situation. After pulling a prank in their childhood that went terribly wrong, the three buddies invent an imaginary character called Ricky Stanicky to place the blame on. Twenty years later, the trio still use the made up Ricky as an alibi for their immature behaviour and a get out of jail card, so to speak. However, when their wives soon start to become suspicious and question if Ricky even exists, they hire an actor to portray the fictional man.
The Zac Efron-Led Comedy Nearly Had a Major Comedy Star in the Lead Role
Ricky Stanicky sees famed wrestler turned actor John Cena take on the lead role of the hired gun who the friends enlist to play their imaginary friend. Zac Efron plays Dean, the leader of the trio who often instigates the trouble they so often find themselves in. Alongside Efron are Jermaine Fowler and Andrew Santino, two rising stars in Hollywood. Fowler started to make waves in Hollywood after starring in the acclaimed 2018 movie, Sorry to Bother You, and 2021’s Coming 2 America opposite Eddie Murphy. Santino is a renowned comedian, famous for his quick wit and dry humour. Ricky Stanicky will mark his biggest role in a movie after a string of supporting roles.
In terms of John Cena’s role, this won’t be the first time he has demonstrated his comedic chops. Of course, as a wrestler, Cena started out in action movies. However, in recent years, he has displayed an innate ability to enthral audiences with his comedic prowess, starring in comedy hits like Blockers, Daddy’s Home, and making a eccentric cameo in the blockbuster hit, Barbie. But, before Cena was cast, comedy titan Jim Carrey was set to play Ricky Stanicky. Yet, as often happens in Hollywood, the movie went through what industry professionals call “production hell”.
Why Ricky Stanicky Has Take Over a Decade to Get Made
Jim Carrey is not the only mainstream name to consider joining Ricky Stanicky. The script for the movie first emerged in 2010 when it landed on the prestigious Black List, an annual collection of Hollywood executives’ favourite unproduced screenplays. From here, James Franco signed on to star in the lead role. However, he soon backed out and director Steve Oedekerk convinced Jim Carrey to step in. The two had previously worked together on the smash hits, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, and 2003’s Bruce Almighty. So, it’s easy to see why Oedekerk had such pull.
Although it was officially green lit, the movie would remained on Carrey’s “In Production” section on IMDB for many years. Furthermore, the script went through an array of changes, with James Lee Freeman and Brian Jarvis hired to rework and revamp Jeffrey Bushell‘s original screenplay. After Carrey eventually dropped out, Nicolas Cage was briefly eyed for the role, but that casting choice never prevailed. So, after expressing his interests to return to comedy, Peter Farrelly boarded Ricky Stanicky as the director. To that, he chose to re-team with Zac Efron after their 2022 movie, The Greatest Beer Run Ever. Cena was quickly added to the cast when Farrelly began auditioning in 2023.
When Will Ricky Stanicky Be Released?
Ricky Stanicky will land on Prime Video as an original movie on March 7, 2024. As of yet, it is unknown if the movie will receive a limited theatrical run ahead of its debut on the platform. The official poster hails the picture as “An R-Rated Comedy”, so it’s safe to assume Farrelly will return to his gross-out ways of movies like There’s Something About Mary. However, only time will tell if the decade long journey will be worth the wait. In the meantime, Zac Efron has been making waves for his role in The Iron Claw. Read more about the true story here.
Check out the trailer for Ricky Stanicky:
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