“The Dude” is ready for his comeback.
Jeff Bridges confirmed at a recent screening of “The Big Lebowski” at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles that he and Julianne Moore are down to star in a sequel to the beloved 1998 film.
“Of course. Julianne and I would fantasize about that,” said Bridges, 75, per Deadline.
“We did another movie together, ‘Seventh Son,’ she played a witch in that movie. And we would often say, ‘Gee it’s all set up for a sequel,’” the actor shared.
But Bridges noted it’s unlikely that Joel and Ethan Coen would want to make a sequel.
“I don’t think the brothers are going to do that,” Bridges said. “I don’t think that’s their style. But I must say, they surprise us all the time.”
He added: “If they called me up and said, ‘Hey let’s do it again,’ I’d say, ‘Absolutely, come on.’”
The Coen brothers directed, wrote and produced the cult classic about Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (Bridges) who is mistaken for a millionaire and seeks restitution for his ruined rug with help from his bowling buddies.
The siblings haven’t made a movie together since 2018’s “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” They’ve also never made a sequel to anything in their shared filmography, which includes “Blood Simple,” “Raising Arizona,” “Fargo,” “No Country for Old Men” and “True Grit.”
Their solo projects include 2021’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Joel) and 2024’s “Drive-Away Dolls” (Ethan).
For the 25th anniversary of “The Big Lebowski” in 2023, Bridges told The Hollywood Reporter that he predicted the film would “be a big hit.”
“I was surprised when it didn’t get much recognition. People didn’t get it, or something,” he said.
“The Big Lebowski” wasn’t popular with critics or at the box office upon its release. But years later, the film also starring John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and John Turturro became a cult favorite.
“My first impression was it was a great script and I had never done anything like it,” Bridges recalled in the interview. “I thought the brothers must have spied on me when I was in high school.”
During a recent interview on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Moore, who played Maude Lebowski, spoke about her experience working with Bridges.
“Jeff is such an extraordinary person. He’s so funny, so generous. I couldn’t look him in the eye without laughing,” the 64-year-old actress said.
“I’d have to look at his mouth while he was acting because if I saw his eyes, I’d start to laugh. Or I’d look just beyond him or something,” she added.