As threatened last autumn, Sony's online streaming platform Crackle has seized the dubious opportunity of producing the first ever straight-to-digital sequel: a very belated follow-up to David Spade's 2001 cult comedy Joe Dirt. Now Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser "finally" exists, and here's a teaser trailer to prove it. And look: they got Christopher Walken!
The original Joe Dirt saw the titular drifter on the road, ostensibly looking for his parents but gradually adopting a new family of similar misfits. It was basically a lot like The Outlaw Josey Wales but without the shooting or the excellence.
You won't glean this from the clip, but the sequel apparently involves time travel: Joe is somehow transported back to the recent past and undertakes a quest to get back to his happy family in the present. "Beautiful Losers" is also the title of a Leonard Cohen novel. Be sure not to get the two confused.
Fred Wolf once again co-wrote and this time also directed. The film arrives via Adam Sandler's Happy Madison productions, themselves moving into the digital-premiere arena with a recent four-picture Netflix deal.
Production on Joe Dirt 2 wrapped in December and it'll find its way online over the summer. Since Crackle was suddenly yanked from UK devices about a year ago, however, Joe Dirt lovers in this country will have to wait for ye olde disc.