Jerry Lewisstarred in a movie in 1963 that didn’t receive a sequel until 45 years later, and even when the follow-up happened, it came in a very unexpected form. What makes the eventual sequel even more interesting is thatthe original movie was remade during the 45-year gap, and that remake also received a sequel before the original did. It’s certainly an unusual sequence of events, and they’re made even stranger by the length of time in which it all unfolded.
Of course, remakes aren’t anything new. In fact, the act of revisiting certain productions has resulted in somemovie remakes that are better than the originals. Similarly,sequels can also take decades to happen. What makes Lewis' situation so bizarre is the fact that his movie had already been remade by the time the sequel to the original was released. Whilethe 2008 effort didn’t exactly make wavesor come anywhere near to living up to the legacy of the original, it’s still a compelling project for many reasons.
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1963’s The Nutty Professor Received An Animated Sequel In 2008
Jerry Lewis reprised his role for the first time since 1963
Lewis starred in a dual role as Professor Julius Kelp and Buddy Love in 1963’sThe Nutty Professor. The movie long remained the sole entry into the franchise. It was eventually remade in 1996 with Eddie Murphy in the title role, which strongly suggested Jerry Lewis would never have the chance to make a sequel. Surprisingly, that appeared to be false, as he reprised his 1963 role in 2008’sThe Nutty Professor 2: Facing the Fear. The animated project was a very soft sequel to the original, andit starred Drake Bell as the voice of Harold Kelp- Julius' grandson.
The Nutty Professor 2was a direct-to-video release and wasn’t particularly well-received.
The animated sequel follows roughly the same story as the original, but with Harold going on the journey of learning to be himself instead of Julius being forced to endure the same experience twice. That being said,Lewis voices both Julius Kelp and Buddy Love in the 2008 movie, so the professor’s alter ego does feature.The Nutty Professor 2was a direct-to-video release and wasn’t particularly well-received.
AfterFacing the Fear, Jerry Lewis only acted in four more movies before passing away in 2017.
Jerry Lewis' 2008 Sequel Came 8 Years After Eddie Murphy’s Nutty Professor 2
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps was very different from Jerry Lewis' sequel
It’s no surprise that Eddie Murphy’s remake of the Jerry Lewis movie was the first to receive a sequel, as Lewis' animated effort seemed to come out of nowhere. The 1996 remake was very successful, soThe Nutty Professor II: The Klumpswas released in 2000. Murphy’s sequel didn’t perform quite as well as his first effort, so a trilogy never materialized. So,there were eight years when the franchise was inactive beforeFacing the Fearcame along.
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Eddie Murphy’s sequel to his remake has the strange achievement of arriving before the original’s sequel. However,bothNutty Professorsequels took vastly different approachesto continuing their respective stories. WhileThe Klumpsis a direct continuation of the 1996 movie,Facing the Fearis both a legacy sequel as well as a standalone sequel. In other words,Facing the Fearcan be enjoyed by a brand-new audience, whereasThe Klumpsis intended to be viewed only after watching the 1996Nutty Professorremake.
Eddie Murphy’s Nutty Professor Movie Has Eclipsed The Original
Jerry Lewis' 1963 movie has become secondary to Murphy’s remake
Movie remakes can sometimes fall very short of the success of the original. Alternatively, the remake can be such a hit that, after a while, the original can essentially be pushed out of the zeitgeist and replaced by the remake. ForThe Nutty Professor, the latter is what happened. While Jerry Lewis' 1963 movie hasn’t actually gone anywhere, wheneverThe Nutty Professoris mentioned, Eddie Murphy’s 1996 remake is what springs to mind for the vast majority of people.2008’sFacing the Feardidn’t restore the prominence of Lewis' original movie. Then again, that may never have been the intention.
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Murphy has confirmed that he believeshis performance as Sherman Klump is the best of his career. Speaking withThe New York Times, Murphy stated he couldn’t, “Think of another person that could do” what he did in 1996’sThe Nutty Professor. It may not have been what he meant, but this could be interpreted as Murphy saying he did a better job of leading his movie than Jerry did when leading his. If so, he’s probably right.Jerry Lewis' 1963 movie hasn’t stood the test of time, and Eddie Murphy’s retelling of the story has completely eclipsed the original.
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Cast
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps features Eddie Murphy reprising his role as Professor Sherman Klump. This sequel explores the complications arising from Sherman’s love life and his alter ego, Buddy Love, as he works on a youth serum. The film focuses on the dynamic of the Klump family, with Murphy playing multiple characters, and offers a comedic take on human imperfection and family bonds.
