Neil Patrick Harris is ready to sign on for a sequel to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, as soon as it is ready to be made. The Hugo and Emmy Award-winning web-based musical, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, has apparently had a script and several songs written for years, but has suffered delays due to the busy schedules of all of the creators involved.
Written by writer/director Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and writer/director on The Avengers), along with his brothers Zac Whedon and Jed Whedon and writer/actress Maurissa Tancharoen, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog tells the story of Billy a.k.a. Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) - a low-level super-villain. Billy spends his days split between plotting new heists as Dr. Horrible and pining for Penny (Felicia Day), an idealistic homeless shelter manager who Billy developed a crush on after seeing her at the laundromat. Hilarity ensues as Dr. Horrible’s latest evil scheme and a chance to apply for membership in the A-list super-villain team The Evil League of Evil accidentally introduces Penny to his arch-enemy, Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) and Billy is torn between the chance at romance with Penny and his dreams of big-time super-villainy.
Harris voiced his hopes for a sequel in an interview with Newsweek. The question of a Dr. Horrible sequel came as Harris was discussing his current projects (including Netflix’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events) and the possibility of things to come.
I would be so excited if that were to ever come to pass. From what I hear, Joss Whedon has a couple other irons in the fire. He’s busy doing other massive, time-suck, financially remarkable endeavors. But if there’s ever another writers’ strike, I’ll certainly sign up for the sequel.
Harris’ comment referred to the infamous Writer’s Guild of America Strike of 2007-2008, where production ground to a halt on all scripted television series for several weeks. Since this indirectly led to thousands of other professionals being left unable to work, Joss Whedon conceived of a project that would circumvent the guild rules regarding working during a strike by developing a project that would be distributed online. The eventual project - Dr. Horrible - would go on to be a critical and commercial success, with a devoted cult fanbase that is as eager for a sequel as Neil Patrick Harris.
Unfortunately, as Harris noted in his comment, the likelihood of another Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog without another WGA strike is unlikely. Ignoring Joss Whedon’s busy schedule, the rest of the original creative team are equally busy. Maurissa Tancharoen is currently the showrunner for Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Jed Whedon is also a producer for the show. Felicia Day is currently busy with several projects, including Season 12 of Mystery Science Theater 3000, where she is a writer and plays the role of Kinga Forrester. Nathan Fillion is also heavily booked, playing the role of Jacques Snicket in A Series of Unfortunate Events as well as the role of Captain Superior in the upcoming animated movie Henchmen.
More: Here’s Why A Series of Unfortunate Events Is Ending After Season 3
Source: Newsweek
