The movie proved to be a big hit for Steve Carell but here's why Get Smart 2 isn't happening. Get Smart was based on the 1960s TV series of the same name, which was created by Buck Henry and Mel Brooks (Spaceballs). The series was a tongue-in-cheek spy comedy that followed agent Maxwell Smart through a series of madcap adventures. The show ran for five seasons, and a decade after it ended it spawned a movie dubbed The Nude Bomb. The film underperformed at the box-office though the show returned again for a TV sequel and revival series in 1995, which starred Andy Dick as Smart's son; it was canceled after seven episodes.
Steve Carell's movie career was heating up around the mid-2000s due to movies like Little Miss Sunshine and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. He was chosen as the lead of a big-budget remake of Get Smart in 2008, with an impressive supporting cast that included Anne Hathaway, Bill Murray, James Caan, and Dwayne Johnson (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw). The reception to the movie was mixed, with the cast considered the highlight, but Get Smart was a solid hit for the studio. It also spawned a straight to DVD spinoff titled Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control, which focused on supporting characters from the film.
It's been over a decade since the release of the first movie, so is Get Smart 2 still a possibility?
Get Smart 2 Was Confirmed In 2008
Following the success of the first movie, Warner Bros. wasted little time greenlighting Get Smart 2. Carell and Hathaway were expected to return, as was director Peter Segal (Grudge Match). Carell and Hathaway's careers went from strength to strength in the years that followed, with Hathaway winning an Academy Award for her performance in Les Miserables, so plans for Get Smart 2 were constantly pushed back.
Carell Wrote A Script For Get Smart 2
Carell revealed in 2010 he had rejected a proposed script for Get Smart 2, feeling it needed a lot of work. He later took a crack at writing the sequel himself, which according to Segal was a great script. It became clear by 2013 that Get Smart 2 was unlikely to happen, with the cast and crew being busy on other projects.
Peter Segal Says The Time For Get Smart 2 "Has Passed"
In a 2019 interview with Flickering Myth, Segal drew a line across a potential Get Smart 2. He stated the time for a sequel had long passed, especially for the cast from the 2008 version. He did say some kind of reboot or prequel was a possibility, but he confirmed a direct sequel to Get Smart wasn't likely after so much time had gone by.