After appearing in over a dozen film and TV specials as Ernest P. Worrell, actor Jim Varney sadly left us back in 2000 at the age of 50 after a battle with lung cancer. But with over a decade passing, the character is set to return — but in a different form. Variety reports that John Cherry, creator of the original character, is launching a reboot in collaboration with Ruckusfilm for a new feature film titled Son of Ernest.
As one could guess, the new feature would follow the adventures of Worrell’s long-lost son. While casting is just beginning for this project, a screenplay is already being written by Dan Ewen, who also wrote a potential upcoming Farrelly brothers project, Dear Satan. While I don’t hold the character near and dear, there was certainly an audience considering how many films Varney made and my only hope is this one continues in the same vein of comedy. Check out a quote from Ewen below, along with a teaser poster from First Showing.
“Ernest was this plucky little engine that could — against all odds. Ernest struck a nerve, one we’re going to revisit. We plan to honor the originals and Jim Varney while birthing a new chapter that lies somewhere between not sucking and Earth-shatteringly funny.”
Do you want to see another Ernest movie?