In the movie business, freedom's just another word for lighting a stick of dynamite and then trying to figure out where to put it -- as Homer effectively illustrates in the above video. Who wasn't excited for "The Simpsons Movie"...and who wasn't also disappointed in how it turned out? Most "Simpsons" fans consider it a long version of a mediocre episode; I think that's being generous. To me, it squarely sits within that dubious realm of entertainment purgatory occupied by highly anticipated movies that don't live up to their promise, but aren't terrible enough to destroy their legacy. Aside from a handful of grumblings, Matt Groening and crew have maintained a fairly honest -- if not upbeat -- outlook on the experience of making the movie. Now comes word (via Variety) that a second movie is off the table:
"It took 18 years to get around to doing the movie," Groening said. "We got very frustrated. We thought it would take two years but it ended up taking four. Some day maybe we'll do another one -- but don't hold your breath."
Sure. But if the first movie were a bigger hit -- if they had pulled it off to greater reception -- you better believe they'd be rolling on the second. Groening is one of the smartest people in the business, and sometimes that's as much about knowing what you're not good at as what you are.
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