Just when you thought you’d heard the last of Derek Zoolander, the ridiculously good-looking male model is back in the first teaser for Zoolander 2… which may or may not be titled 2oolander or Zoolander II.
Paramount Pictures has released a brief preview for Ben Stiller’s return to the character he first brought to the screen in 2001’s Zoolander, and the teaser is actually a pretty clever piece of video. The two-minute preview begins like an introduction to a documentary on human evolution, and unless you pick up on some of the visual cues related to the original film (i.e., “E= MC Hammer,” a Mer-man, and the definition of “Eugoogly”), you might not realize it’s a teaser for the Zoolander sequel until Stiller appears on the screen in the final moments.
Like the original film, the Zoolander sequel is directed and co-written by Stiller, who shares screenwriting credits on the project with Tropic Thunder writer Justin Theroux. Stiller previously indicated that much of the film is set in Europe, with Derek and his model pals dealing with life ten years after the events of their first adventure together and attempting to remain relevant in a world where a model’s fame is fleeting.
Along with Stiller, Owen Wilson will return as Hansel, and Will Ferell is expected to reprise his role as Jacobim Mugatu. The cast is filled out by a long list of new and returning actors, including Penélope Cruz, Christine Taylor, Kristen Wiig and Cyrus Arnold, Billy Zane, Fred Armisen, Justin Bieber (yes, him), Kyle Mooney, Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, and other familiar faces.
The original Zoolander was an unexpected hit, earning more than $60.8 million return on its modest (by today’s standards) $28 million budget. The sequel to Zoolander, which could be officially titled one of any number of things described in the preview, is currently scheduled to hit theaters February 12, 2016.
