While the original Dodgeball has had a joke alternate ending floating around for years, Dodgeball 2 could actually use it. During the creative process of telling a story, there’s always the potential for many different endings, some of which seem opposed yet remain a possibility right up until the final days of post-production. In some cases, the alternate endings might even turn out better than the one that is chosen for the movie, or become an enduring part of the film through fan interest or trivia. Dodgeball’s alternate ending, however, went farther than anticipated and could inspire the second film.
Dodgeball is a 2004 comedy film starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn that tells the story of an underdog dodgeball team, the Average Joe’s, that enters a tournament in Las Vegas to win enough money to save their cherished, yet dilapidated, local gym. In the original film, the team miraculously succeeds and is able to save their gym. However, there's a common belief that the original Dodgeball was supposed to have the Average Joe’s lose, a belief that stemmed from a joke from the director that got out of hand. But many could argue that this joke ending might have been better for the film.
Dodgeball 2 Must Have A Darker Ending Than The Original
Now that work on a sequel to Dodgeball has begun again, the potential for this darker, alternate ending to see the light of day is a legitimate possibility. Some might even argue that Dodgeball 2 must have a darker ending than the first film to avoid being a carbon copy of the original, somewhat like Adam Sandler's idea for Happy Gilmore 2. If so, this does not mean that the sequel film would need to give up on any of its comedy. But having an ending where the underdog team does not succeed would open up new avenues for both comedy and storytelling for the follow-up film, making it unique.
Another benefit for Dodgeball 2 to end on a different tone than the first film would be its ability to adjust to a wholly different audience. After all, movie-goers of 2023 are very different than those from 2004 and have been exposed to very different cultural events and comedic reactions to those events. In that way, the "sunshine and daisies" ending of Dodgeball might not sit as well with an audience that has seen massive political turmoil and a global pandemic; but that same audience may respond better to a more nuanced ending that acknowledges both failure and the inherent comedy in it.
Dodgeball 2 Having A Happy Ending Would Make The Original Movie Worse
Finally, if Dodgeball 2 were to end with the same picturesque happiness as the original Dodgeball, it could very well make the first film worse simply by taking the wonder out of it. After all, if the underdog team wins once against impossible odds, it’s uplifting and exciting. But if they keep winning, their success becomes a pattern, and they’re no longer underdogs, refuting the entire point of the movie. This means that the sequel film definitely needs an element of realism and a message of "it's okay to lose sometimes,” because it will allow Dodgeball 2 to keep the core of the franchise and have a meaningful message.