Ron Burgandy Stays Classy

On 28 March, legendary comedian and actor Will Ferrell made a guest appearance on Conan, Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show. In character as Ron Burgundy, the famous news anchor from Paramount’s 2004 hit Anchorman, Ferrell unexpectedly took the stage, jazz flute in hand.

After serenading the audience with his classy tunes and firing a few quips Conan’s way, however, he had something a bit more serious to say.

“As of 0900 Mountain Time, Paramount Pictures and myself, Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgundy, have come to terms on a sequel to Anchorman,” Ferrell said, prompting wild cheers from the audience. “It is official. There will be a sequel.”

The promise of a sequel is sure to be music to the ears of many fans of the original, especially considering the widespread doubt that existed for long after the movie was released. It has long been evident that another Anchorman could not be created with a budget similar to the $25 million that went into the first. For there to be any possibility of bringing back a cast featuring the likes of Steve Carell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, and Will Ferrell, a blockbuster budget would be all but necessary.

In spite of the many issues that kept Paramount and director Adam McKay from planning a second movie for years, the two sides were finally able to come to terms on a new deal. With a budget of $50 million, Paramount hopes to reunite the cast of the original in order to create a worthy follow-up to the movie that has developed a strong following in recent years.

Despite grossing a modest $84 million domestic at the box office, Anchorman has proven to be a cultural sensation and has maintained widespread popularity over the past eight years. The movie appeals especially to the male audience, with its variety of profane humor and tongue-in-cheek attitude toward feminism.

Among the avid Anchorman aficionados are many Fleetwood Area High School students, many of whom can be found reciting the film’s many quotable lines almost daily.

“I passionately loved the first Anchorman. And I mean passionately.  I am wary of giving high expectations to the sequel though,” Senior Conor Donohoe said.

Fellow senior Dan Milloy seemed to share a similar sentiment.

“Anchorman was the best comedy movie I’ve seen since Space Jam,” he said. “I do think the sequel will be good, but I can’t imagine it will be as good as the original. ”

Although the many disciples of Ron Burgundy will likely be on pins and needles until the film’s release in 2014, Anchorman fanatics can rest that director Adam McKay and the Channel 4 News Team will once again deliver.