Ivan Reitman’s 1988 picture Twins may have the setup for a star vehicle, but the film itself was always more than its superb casting. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, Twins follows a mismatched pair of strangers who discover they are, against all odds, biological twin brothers. Thus follows the misadventures of very non-identical twins Julius (Schwarzenegger) and Vincent (DeVito) Benedict as they find one another and give being family a shot. Now, four decades after the original hit theaters, the Twins brothers hope to make their return with a sequel, Triplets.
While longtime friends DeVito and Schwarzenegger are popular performers still today, a Twins sequel arriving this decade would signify more than the cast’s staying power. Revivals and reboots of 1980s’ cinema have been performing remarkably well in recent years. With Top Gun’s booming return to the screen, and Stranger Things’ latest, record-breaking season, it seems ’80s revivals of all kinds won’t be going away anytime soon. When it comes to Reitman’s original comedy, here’s what makes an upcoming Twins continuation a potential recipe for a homerun.
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A Genre-Bending Comedy with Heart
Universal Pictures
From its opening sequences, Twins proved to be a comedy with heart. Employing elements of science-fiction and coming-of-age early on, the comedy quickly unfolds to reveal something more. In showcasing the film’s science-fiction and slice-of-life elements, Julius and Vincent learn of their biological brotherhood via scientific experimentation: an experiment to create the perfect human. During the experiment, which created them both, Julius’ birth is considered an intended success, while Vincent’s is the offshoot of an unforeseen error.
Separated at birth, the brothers would end up tracing their lineage years later. Although some moments in Twins read as melodrama, the brother’s journey is mostly believable and heartwarming at its core, and could be continued with a sequel. With Reitman’s original, somehow, combining elements of drama, crime, comedy, science-fiction, and more without losing its direction or heart, one may wonder if a sequel can achieve the same. When it comes down to it, the balance and success of Twins was in its sharp script, wonderful cast, and its director. Triplets would need to align its stars so that the same can be seen.
The Cast
Although the backstory makes the premise sound less simple, Twins is more of a straightforward comedy and slice-of-life tale than one may expect. Lore aside, Twins kicks off with a promise of Schwarzenegger-DeVito antics, and soon delivers. Of course, it’s humorous to see Schwarzenegger play the shy guy opposite a DeVito character who exudes utmost confidence instantly, but it does not take away from the sincerity. Schwarzenegger’s portrayal of a sheltered, yet unfailingly kind man is carried with humor and understanding, while DeVito plays Vincent with surprising vulnerability. The two level one another, as Julius gains his confidence and as Vincent sees his place in the world. 34 years removed, it would be interesting to see what the brother’s dynamic is like today.
With Triplets, audiences could be treated to an update. With Julius and Vincent getting married and having twins of their own by the original’s end, viewers could now see how the brothers fair as parents. With the third brother’s arrival, even more elements can be added to the mix. However, casting has proved difficult. Originally set to star Eddie Murphy alongside its original duo, Murphy dropped out of Triplets last year, and was replaced by Tracy Morgan thereafter. Murphy was important to Triplets’ inception, and proves again how committed the cast has always been. For several years, Murphy was DeVito and Schwarzenegger’s preferred third twin.
New Horizons
After Reitman’s passing earlier this year, Schwarzenegger revealed that the Triplets crew had decided to take a break from the production, planning to revisit the project when the time was right. It has yet to be announced if the project will be canceled, but the consensus is that a new director will take over. Since the original film was Reitman’s own project, his involvement was especially connected to the sequel’s heart. With his passing, the cast and crew’s breaking is not only logical, but respectful.
One option for Reitman’s replacement could be his son, director Jason Reitman, who has helmed sleeper hits Juno and Up In The Air. Reitman’s son also directed Ghostbusters: Afterlife for the screen, a sequel to the first two Ghostbusters films, which were directed by Ivan Reitman himself. The director’s son is even set to return to the franchise once more, and while their roles were brief, Reitman had the chance to direct characters from his father’s past Ghostbusters films. These cast members included Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver, among others. One thing is for sure, if Julius and Vincent Benedict were to return with Triplets, Jason Reitman’s careful directing and understanding of the material could deliver the same comedy and heart his father once did for Twins.
