There’s no good reason to make a sequel to “The Fault In Our Stars.” The movie — and John Green’s book — tell a story that feels, and is, completely done in one. But, and here’s the big caveat, the movie made a ton of money over the weekend.
So even if there’s no necessity for a sequel, you know that somewhere in Hollywood someone is floating, and possibly even exploring, the idea.
With that in mind, here’s 7 possible, totally legit ideas for sequels to “The Fault In Our Stars:”
The My Girl 2
Example(s): “My Girl 2″
There’s no good reason why the story of “My Girl” should have continued after spoiler Macaulay Culkin’s character dies of bee stings, similar to how Ansel Elgort’s character spoiler dies in “TFIOS,” though actually not similar at all because cancer. And yet, it did continue, following Anna Chlumsky’s character as she continues to grow and experience what it is like to be a girl in the possessive.
Similarly, “The Fault In Our Stars 2″ could follow Shailene Woodley’s Hazel Grace as she continues to wrestle with the Big C, and maybe finds a new love? We know no one can measure up to Augustus Waters, but let’s be frank: “My Girl 2″ didn’t measure up to “My Girl,” and it happened anyway.
The Sidequel
Example(s): “Get Him To The Greek,” “This Is 40″
Probably the most reasonable way of continuing the story is by not following Hazel Grace, but instead one of the supporting characters. The most obvious choice would be Isaac (Nat Wolff) as he continues to wrestle with love and blindness, because it’s a metaphor, Hazel Grace.
Also possible would be Peter Van Houten (Willem Dafoe), whose fate is left relatively open at the end of the movie. Who doesn’t want to watch the adventures of a burnt-out, alcoholic author in Amsterdam instead of hot, angst-ridden teens getting it on?
Same S**t, Different Day
Example(s): “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights”
No, we’re not saying “Fault In Our Stars 2″ should head to Cuba. Instead, chances are that if a direct sequel doesn’t get made, someone is going to “continue” the story years later, a la the “Dirty Dancing” sequel. In this, it would have a loose connection to the original, but be told with two new, young teens wrestling with disease.
And like “Havana Nights,” it would need a cameo by someone from the original. Perhaps instead of Peter Van Houten, one of the new leads worships a little book written by an aging cancer survivor named Hazel Grace Lancaster? Eh? A book called… Wait for it… “The Fault In Our Stars?”
The Prequel
Example(s): “Dumb and Dumberer”
Wouldn’t everyone want to see a movie about what happened the first time a young Hazel Grace fell in love, right before she found out she had cancer? How great would that be? So great.
The Saga Continues
Example(s): “Twilight,” “The Hunger Games”
Okay, this is a huge stretch as author John Green may not have continued the story of “Fault In Our Stars,” but he has written other books. Is it that far off to think that we could see, “The Fault In Our Stars Saga: Paper Towns?” Particularly as Nat Wolff is starring in both, and they’re both released (or being released) by FOX?
Or how about “The Fault In Our Stars Saga: An Abundance of Katherines – Part 1,” which would basically guarantee no other movie could be on the marquee at the same time? Hey, it could happen (it won’t happen).
The Parody
Example(s): “Gremlins 2″
There are plenty of movies that absolutely shouldn’t have sequels, yet get them anyway. And sometimes, they come in the form of movies that parody their own progenitors, like “Gremlins 2.” Considering how self-reflexive “Fault In Our Stars” is already, playing even more with the whole genre of “kids with cancer weepy sobby sob,” seems unnecessary. And borderline insulting. But also, why not? Why not, indeed. Case closed.
The Shot-For-Shot
Example(s): “Psycho”
If “The Fault In Our Stars” becomes a timeless, untouchable classic, maybe some day someone will attempt to do a shot for shot remake of the movie, a la Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” Of all the choices, weirdly enough this is probably the most remote, as Josh Boone’s direction is solid but mostly stands back to let the actors do their work. But hey, stranger things have happened: once upon a time, there was a sequel to “Speed” set on a boat.
What do you think? We know there shouldn’t be a sequel, but if there was, what should it be about?
Alex Zalben
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