Judd Apatow loves taking some of life’s most interesting moments and turning them into comedies. “Knocked Up” took a look at the ridiculousness that sometimes surrounds a pregnancy. “This is 40” dove deep into the moment when you approach middle age. And “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” put the spotlight on…well, the time when people are middle-aged and also a virgin. Okay, so some are more universal than others. And it appears that Apatow is ready to do it again with a sequel to that aforementioned film, “This is 40,” tentatively titled…wait for it… “This is 50.”
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Speaking to The Wrap, while promoting his new COVID comedy, “The Bubble,” Judd Apatow talked about how he finally feels like he’s at the moment in his life when he can make “This is 50.” He even has an idea for it that he’d really like to get going.
“I’ve always wanted to make ‘This Is 50’ and it is time,” Apatow said. “I couldn’t have done it five years ago and I can’t do it five years from now, so I’ve been outlining that and hope it’s something that we get to do. I feel like [‘This Is 40’] has really aged well, and it always feels like everyone watches it when they turn 40 and they go, ‘Oh, I understand it all now’ [laughs]. So I’m enthusiastic about putting that together.”
No details about “This is 50” were revealed, other than the fact that it would likely be a sequel to “This is 40,” following the lives of Pete and Debbie (Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann) as they approach their 50s. Pete and Debbie, of course, debuted in the other aforementioned comedy, “Knocked Up,” but were supporting characters.
He added, “I’m hoping that comes together. I have an idea that I really like for it.”
As mentioned, Apatow is preparing the release of “The Bubble,” which is set to arrive on Netflix on April 1. After that, there are a couple of other projects he has in the works, so it’s unclear if “This is 50” will be next on his to-do list. Regardless, if you were hoping Apatow would return to the franchise, it appears he definitely wants to.