August 28th, 2007 -- Written by John Campea
It’s a sad day around The Movie Blog studios my friends. For years now I’ve been pumped and excited about any notion that a sequel to the amazing Bubba Ho-Tep may be in development. The film itself is indeed in development, but it will not have the man who made it what it was… Bruce Campbell.
Bruce has now come out 100% to confirm that he has turned down Bubba Nosferatu and the Curse of the She Vampires, and that he’s not going to change his mind. My heart just broke a little bit. The folks over at Fangoria talked to Bruce and reported the following:
“[BUBBA NOSFERATU] is dead to me,” Campbell said flatly. “It sleeps with the fishes. Don Coscarelli is a very passionate filmmaker. We got to a few points [developing the screenplay] that we couldn’t reconcile. I want to keep our friendship, so we parted ways. So I’m not part of that project.” So will BUBBA NOSFERATU move forward without Campbell? Coscarelli told Fango that he is considering recasting the film with another actor whom the fans would embrace, but he admits that it will be a tall order to fill Campbell’s shoes.
I’m not going to lie to you folks… this is nothing short of shattering to me. I respect Bruce for turning the roll down, instead of accepting it and then fighting with the director… but still… Why Bruce Why????
It’s no secret that I think any actor is replaceable… that just because one actor played a part once, doesn’t mean another actor can’t step in an also play the part. I still think that. However, it will be tough as hell to do that with THIS role. A part of Elvis in the first Bubba movie was very much Bruce. The movie was sort of shaped around Bruce… and part of the insane following it got on DVD afterwards was due to Bruce. Can another Bubba film be done without Bruce? Yes… it is possible… but it will be one tall order to fill… even with Paul Giamatti in it.
Posted in 
Don’t cry daddy, but your suspicious mind is money, honey, and it looks like Bruce Campbell has left the building.
Oh this is terrible news. Bubba Hotep was a fine little slice of B-movie wonkiness, elevated by the genuine warmth and pure comedic timing of Bruce Campbell as Elvis. It was a movie as much about his performance in the white jumpsuit as it was about the high concept of Elvis versus a soul-sucking mummy.
I can’t believe this will go forward without him. Giamatti’s presence would no doubt have helped the sequel reach more screens and a wider audience, so it’s curious that if only for that reason alone, Campbell would turn it down.
I wonder what the reason was. Seems crazy to we fans, but perhaps Campbell had a legitimate reason for no wanting to be a part of the A-C-T-I-O-N.
Keep your chins up, this is lies! ALL LIES!!!!!
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bruce, how can you do this to us?
Please reconsider, I beg you!
Kurt Russell would be good in the part.
Porkchop
Sad, sad news. I was really looking forward to Bruce reprising his role and couldn’t imagine him turning it down. However, I do have to respect the reason he’s given for turning the role down.
Recasting…yeah, that’s going to be difficult, and even though I don’t want to admit it, it can be done.
The Colonel makes a good suggestion - I could be onboard with Kurt Russell.
Another actor comes to mind I think could pull it off - Neil Flynn who plays The Janitor on Scrubs. I love this guy and he has a great quirkiness about him.
Does the screenplay have to include the Elvis character? I’d like to see a recast with a new character. It could pave the way for more “Bubba” movies with a host of different actors taking the reigns.
Val Kilmer would rock instead of Bruce - though he’s probably out of Coscarelli’s price range. Kilmer did a bang up Elvis in True Romance and it’d be fun to see him schtick it up in this film.
Also - we may not know why - but Campbell has read the script and maybe he just doesn’t care for it… I respect the man for sticking to his guns even is it means he doesn’t do everything the fans want.
He probally is just settling down. Maybe he is just busy doing his tv series Burn Notice.
I’m a bit indifferent to it all having not loved the first film (sorry-but at least I *liked* it, so don’t throw the sheep just yet) but…didn’t the ‘King’ die at the end of Ho-Tep?
As to who could replace Bruce, I’m sorta liking the idea of past actors who played Elvis (and Val- who never was entirely seen in TR) could I throw in the name of…David Keith?
Just a random thought.
Otherwise, we might be stuck with The Diceman….
So, Bruce is out and Kurt Russell is just a replacement for an Elvis character. One could use El Vez (the Mexican Elvis), I suppose. A Jim Morrison character could work, but good luck getting Kilmer. I cannot immediately see how to establish a connection between the first film and its second without a Campbell or Russell Elvis, or a Kilmer Morrison. Hell, even Morrison doesn’t resonate in modern memories, so what’s the point of a DOORS connection? Good lord, if Charles Bronson were still alive, I would have him portray an aging and ailing Sinatra that kicks butt. A Bubba sequel is DOA without Bruce - especially since he now looks like Elivis circa 1977, although not quite so bloated.
Kurt Russell is a must-have if Bruce won’t do it (assuming costs etc are not a problem).
Without either of those, I think this should be scrapped.
Also, the title should be shortened to just Bubba Nosferatu. The rest just makes me lose interest.
I’m sure everyone will say “no one but Bruce can do it”, but I say “good riddance!” No no… NOT because of the truly legendary Bruce Campbell, one of my own favorite film heroes, but because the first Bubba Ho-Tep was really not that good…
Am I alone out here, are there any more of you that didn’t like Bubba Ho-Tep? I may even say Campbell’s Man with the Screaming Brain was better! All I know is that as fairly entertaining and well done Bubba Ho-Tep was, it was a boring film that didn’t really leave me feeling as complete as Army of Darkness or anything else… and so therefore I’m not praising it.
Bubba Ho-tep doesn’t need a sequel.
Elvis is dead.
Get over it.