Some time back, Tom Hanks disclosed that he engaged in a 40-minute discussion about a potential Forest Gump sequel, a possibility fans had eagerly awaited for years. While serious talks were underway and anticipation ran high, the project never materialized. Thus the lingering question remains, what stopped this highly anticipated project from coming to fruition? Here’s the inside story.
Tom Hanks Once Had a 40 Minute Discussion Regarding a Possible Forest Gump Sequel
During his visit to the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Tom Hanks undoubtedly found himself questioned about the long-awaited sequel to the iconic film, Forest Gump. His response brought some hope to the fans.
He revealed that discussions on the matter had indeed taken place in the past and that it wasn’t something he was unaware of, hinting at the possibility of the highly anticipated project taking place sometime in the future if it ever does. Thus, he said,
“I will say that, with a long time in between, we did take a stab at talking about another Forrest Gump that lasted all of 40 minutes,–And then we never- we said, ‘Guys, come on.’”
He then continues stating,
“A smart thing I did is I’ve never signed a contract that had a contractual obligation to a sequel,–I’ve always said, ‘Guys, if there’s a reason to do it, let’s do it. But you guys can’t force me. There is that natural inclination that is one of pure commerce that says, ‘Hey, you just had a hit, so do it again and you’ll have a hit.”’
The actor also shared that while the recent Bollywood remake of the project intrigued him, he was mostly uninterested in revisiting the past or resurrecting anything from it. But what stopped the project from coming to life even after that 40-minute talk?
Why Forest Gump 2 Never Happened?
A project called Gump & Co. was supposedly under work, just a year following the original movie’s phenomenal triumph. This sequel would have followed Gump in the 1980s, intertwining his story with pivotal historical moments such as Ronald Reagan’s presidency, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the Persian Gulf War. Although it would have been interesting, what stopped it?
Initially, the creators became swamped with other projects, diverting their time and attention away from this project. Moreover, they acknowledged the weighty responsibility of living up to something hailed as one of the most flawless pieces of cinema. Furthermore, the project’s script had reached completion by the end of 2001, ready for production, but the national tragedy that struck then that shocked the world hindered the film’s progress.
Years have passed now, and there have been no additional updates reported that are at least known to the public yet. Only time will tell if the creators will ever reconsider their decision.
Forest Gump is currently available on Paramount+ to stream.
