It was no surprise that wheels were spinning on Horrible Bosses sequel, nor was I nonplussed to learn it should bring back the original cast — Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis — and director Seth Gordon. Now, more than six months after the film was announced, it’s time for the deals to get inked.

According to 24Frames, Seth Gordon will cut through his packed slate for a follow-up which, despite having nothing signed just yet, is still expected to reunite the aforementioned trio, get in front of cameras, and be released sometime in 2014. (Really, why even make this if they’re not involved?) Curiously, the sequel, also written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, will not see the characters try and knock off some unlikable sorts once more. It’s not a problem for me — they were funny enough and had great chemistry to justify a second outing, I think — but, really, just interesting to consider on some basic levels.

And while this probably won’t be the kind of film that requires a great formalist to really function, it’s nevertheless pleasing to hear that Gordon‘s back — after all, his creative say resulted in my favorite comedy from last summer. (I know you’re supposed to say it was Bridesmaids, but Bosses, for any flaws, tickled my funny bone more adeptly than most studio comedies these days ever manage.) Comedy sequels work about 1 out of 10 times, sure, but a break from the original’s mold could help it stand out from that dreaded territory occupied by The Hangover Part II, Caddyshack II, Ghostbusters II, Airplane II, and other Roman numeral-inclined pictures of the same sort.

Does Gordon’s return give you any hope for a Horrible Bosses sequel? Did you like the original?