There may not be another comedy mystery as iconic as the 1985 cult classic, Clue. After all, the film had an all-star cast comprised of Tim Curry, Madeline Khan, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mall, Lesley Ann Warren and Michael McKean. Additionally, the film delivered some outstanding one-liners that kept viewers engaged and entertained. However, the movie stands out because the entire premise, filled with humor, intrigue and suspense, was built off the titular board game, so the plot was a triumph as an original narrative.
Moreover, due to the success of Barbie at the box office, toy-inspired movies may begin to see a resurgence. If that’s the case, Clue must be part of the conversation. As a result, even though the film isn’t strictly based on a line of toys, Clue does deserve a sequel.
Why Clue Needs a Sequel, Not a Remake
While a Clue remake is in the works, the idea’s arguably a bad one. Although Ryan Reynolds is reported to be connected to the project, and he could fill one of Clue‘s cast members’ shoes, it still feels like a disservice to put him (and the film’s fanbase) through that. This is because there’s no natural way to recapture the magic of the original movie. Specifically, it comes down to comedic timing and chemistry. The feature not only played out as an intricate play of errors but the hilarious exchanges between Wadsworth (Curry), Colonel Mustard (Mall), Mrs. White (Khan), Miss Scarlett (Warren), Professor Plum (Lloyd) and Mr. Green (McKean) can’t be replicated. Nevertheless, there’s one way around this, and it involves the revamped edition of the board game.
According to an article by Toy World Magazine, Hasbro unveiled an updated version of Clue at the beginning of 2023. While it still contained some of the original characters, it also modernized them (which is similar to the treatment that the upcoming Clue animated series should receive). As a result, Mr. Green is now a mayor, and Mrs. White has become a chef. Additionally, some have also noted that the original Mr. Boddy (played by Lee Ving in the film) has been replaced by Boden “Boddy” Black Jr. This is significant because it opens up the world of Clue to include all the various iterations of the characters just like Barbie showcased different versions of the doll. Moreover, a sequel would work better here because it allows the remaining cast members that are still alive to return, creating a potential movie that spans two generations of characters.
A Clue Sequel Could Put the ‘Real Ending’ Question to Bed
As fans know, Clue has three endings, and they all made their way into theaters. Typically, most diehard Clue connoisseurs agree that “Ending C” is cannon, mainly because the movie precedes the scene with the caption: “But here’s what really happened.” This ending depicts a scenario where everyone but Mr. Green is responsible for a murder. Nevertheless, it’s still debatable since director and screenwriter Johnathan Lynn almost included a fourth ending, according to an interview with Abnormal Use. Nevertheless, the situation isn’t necessarily a bad thing, primarily if a sequel that includes Mr. Lynn’s input is produced. As a result, a continuation of Clue could finally settle the issue.
While these ideas work off a hypothetical circumstance where a Clue sequel is made rather than a remake, it does create an exciting prospect for one of the greatest murder mystery movies ever made. One that could reinvigorate the property with new characters that are now part of the titular board game while bringing back some of the initial charm brought about by the original cast.