After a series of Australian tourism ads starring Chris Hemsworth and Danny McBride parodied a return of Crocodile Dundee, it turns out that the series is actually making a comeback. 17 years since the latest entry in the franchise, Paul Hogan confirmed that a legitimate sequel is actually in the works.
In the original Crocodile Dundee, Hogan plays the fictional outback legend Mike Dundee as he plays host to a U.S. reporter (Sue Charlton, played by Linda Kozlowski) interested in writing up a feature on his life in the wild. However, once she is impressed by his talents and personality, Sue convinces Dundee to follow her to New York City for a quick visit; and it’s in New York City that Dundee’s “fish out of water” pursuits lead to comedic hijinks. The movie was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards and spawned two sequels: Crocodile Dundee II and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. Now, Hogan has confirmed that he will be donning the fedora and vest once again in yet another sequel, this time with director Dean Murphy.
Following the popular reception towards the Australian tourism ads shown during the Super Bowl, interest in the Dundee franchise reignited. As a result, Hogan confirmed that he will be returning to the character in a sequel titled The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee. However, instead of being a traditional sequel, Mr. Dundee will actually revolve around Hogan himself as he prepares for an upcoming knighting ceremony that is a result of his successes in the entertainment industry. Yet moments before he is knighted, he encounters a situation that risks ruining his entire reputation. Like the third film in the series, Mr. Dundee will be set in Los Angeles, CA, and as far as casting goes, Hogan said:
“I’ve been honoured to have many of my friends and colleagues, whose work I adore, agree to join us for this hilarious new adventure.”
While the previous two Crocodile Dundee movies were not critical successes, the Super Bowl ad, titled Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns, became a viral success. What’s more is that an extended cut of the trailer also featured Margot Robbie, Hugh Jackman, Liam Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Ruby Rose, Jessica Mauboy, Luke Bracey, and Russell Crowe, along with Hemsworth and McBride. That said, it’s unlikely to have any ties to The Excellent Mr. Dundee.
Crocodile Dundee made a cultural splash in the mid-’80s, but it remains to be seen whether or not Hogan still has the same kind of appeal as he did in the original. The excitement surrounding the fake Dundee ad seemed to have more to do with stars like Hemsworth and Robbie being attached, and less to do with a return to the original franchise, but time will tell.
