Jason Bateman plays the lead in the 2018 black comedy Game Night, a film that had us in splits with its sharp and slapstick humor. The movie was a hit with critics and at the box office, garnering $117.7 million worldwide against a $37 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).
Plans of a sequel were scrapped by the directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, who felt that a sequel would not hold up to the original film’s legacy. Here are five reasons why we need a Game Night sequel with Jason Bateman starring once again.
1. Game Night Sets up an Intriguing Sequel Story
Game Night ended on a cliffhanger that left us wanting more of the story. After celebrating Annie’s pregnancy through a game of charades at Brooks’ place, the camera pulls back to reveal a black van full of masked men loading their guns. Brooks confesses to his friends that he sold the witness protection list to dangerous criminals, leaving the future narrative wide open for a wilder ride. Here are key details about the Game Night film.
While directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein later admitted the ending was “a sort of fake setup for a sequel,” they also acknowledged they wanted to “leave the audience wanting more” (via ScreenRant).
2. Jason Bateman Should Take the Reins as Director
Jason Bateman has proven time and time again that he is an expert at direction, helming multiple projects over his career, including the acclaimed series Ozark. His work on the Netflix series proved that he was capable of creating compelling narratives, characters, and suspenseful storylines that would be perfect. Here is a table of all the shows and movies Bateman has directed, to highlight his expansive filmography.
Jason Bateman’s experience with comedy would work really well, given that he was initially attached to direct Game Night before stepping down, but remaining as a producer.
3. Game Night Sequel Can Feature a Bigger Star-Studded Cast
Game Night featured a star-studded ensemble, including its titular leads:
A sequel would certainly have a bigger budget, along with higher stakes and an expanded cast pulling in big names. The potential for Game Night is endless, allowing the opportunity to bring in international actors like Bad Bunny or Aaron Taylor-Johnson. There is scope to bring in drama actors with a comedy flair, like how Apple TV brought in Bryan Cranston and Greta Lee for The Studio.
4. Jason Bateman Can Undo Sequelitis Curse
Jason Bateman rose to fame for starring in a comedic role in Arrested Development. The show’s success pushed him to bigger heights, as he pivoted to films with more serious dramatic work, like Juno and The Gift. Before his breakout role, Jason Bateman was a child actor, notably starring in the poorly received sequel Teen Wolf Too (1987), which failed to match the charm of its predecessor, Teen Wolf (1985).
Nov. 20, 1987, Jason Bateman made his film debut when Teen Wolf Too was released in theaters. #80s pic.twitter.com/RlFlLP4wju
Bateman is very popular for his role in the raunchy comedy Horrible Bosses, which got a sequel due to its commercial success. Unfortunately, Horrible Bosses 2, despite repeating the formula, was panned by critics and audiences alike for being plain unfunny. According to E! News, Jason Bateman said:
The second one was garbage as far as box office goes. Who knows whether it was on the merits or when they released it, but it did not do any money.
Here are more details about the franchise.
Bateman didn’t escape sequelitis, a condition where the quality of a film’s sequel declines due to studio pressure to milk money out of the success of the film.
5. Hollywood Needs More A-Lister Dark Comedies
In an era where blockbusters are usually either Disney-owned movies or sequels to an established franchise, black comedies and even comedies are pushed to the backseat. Notably, 2025 had Liam Neeson’s The Naked Gun, but the rest include a cast of either B-listers or rising stars with not enough backing to push the film to a wide audience. Black comedies are a rare gem, and it’s hard to imagine a time when they were ruling cinema, like the 90s.
Post-2000s, A-listers would jump at the opportunity to work with established black comedy directors like David O. Russel on films like Silver Linings Playbook. Here is a list of black comedies with a star-studded cast that is reminiscent of the energy that Game Night has.
We can only hope that with time, directors like The Safdie Brothers, The Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, David O. Russel, and so on will bring this gem of a genre back, along with a Game Night sequel.
What do you think of a Game Night sequel? Let us know in the comments.
Game Night is currently streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
