It’s crazy to think that it was only a couple of years ago that we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Bring It On. Over two decades later, the beloved sports film still resonates with viewers, as it highlighted the true athleticism that comes with cheerleading. It also tackled themes of inclusion and cultural appropriation. While we’ve had so many direct-To-DVD sequels/spinoffs in the series, some are still clamoring for a true follow-up to the original that sees the returns of Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union. Now, OG franchise director Peyton Reed has given his opinion on whether a Bring It On sequel is still in the cards.
The last time we saw the characters of Torrance and Isis, the latter’s team — the Clovers — won their rightful first-place title at a national cheerleading competition. Torrance’s team — the Toros — won second place and graciously accepted that title. One can’t help but wonder if cheerleading is still a big part of these characters’ lives after 22 years. Well, Peyton Reed caught up with ET Online during the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania premiere, and he provided some thoughts that may give fans some hope:
We had Kirsten and Gabrielle and Jessica Bendinger, who wrote the original. We got together for the 20th anniversary, which was a couple of years ago and started talking about [it]. We’d always been thinking about it. What if there’s a legacy sequel that features the whole original cast? Obviously, 20 some years later, we would come at that movie from a totally different direction. And Gabrielle has not only ideas, but great ideas. So, that is something that I hope we can continue to discuss. [It] could happen.
I’d say there’s reason to be optimistic, as Gabrielle Union has a killer idea for a sequel. She believes her former Clovers captain would be the mother of a teenager at this point. So could that mean there’s a chance that Torrance also has a teenage daughter who just so happens to be “only cheerleading” like her mother once was? It’s possible, and I’d be totally up for a legacy throwdown of sorts. Years ago, Peyton Reed pitched an idea for a follow-up, but it had a sobering feel that was akin to that of St. Elmo’s Fire. I personally believe that if you want to get a new generation of teens hooked on this franchise, you’ve got to bring back the snarky, in-your-face humor that the classic cheerleading film was known for.
Regardless, it sounds like the OG cast is ready for more! Gabrielle Union believes a second movie will “absolutely” happen, given the success of reality TV series Cheer — which was very popular amongst Netflix subscription. Also, Kirsten Dunst is absolutely down, as she believes it could be a fun experience. I don’t know about all of you, but I’d love to once again hear someone declare “Brrr..it’s cold in here, there must be some Toros in the atmosphere!”
If a new flick were to happen, there would probably be some changes made for a few characters. The Think Like a Man star says she regrets how she portrayed her Bring It On character, who took a a classy approach after learning that her school’s cheers had been stolen. Surely, Peyton Reed — or any director who ends up tackling the proposed movie — would do their best to ensure that the Torrance, Isis and co. evolve accordingly.
Let’s hope that OG cast members like Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union return, should a Bring it On sequel come to fruition. Considering that there’s still so much love for this franchise, a decision not to do another movie would feel like a missed opportunity.