Why It Ranks
Anchorman 2 justified its existence by satirizing cable news instead of repeating local news jokes. The news battle is the most star-studded comedy scene ever filmed. Brick's love story with Kristen Wiig is unexpectedly touching. $173 million proved the Burgundy brand was bulletproof.
The Film
Anchorman 2 is the sequel that nobody thought could work — and it mostly does, because Ferrell and McKay used it to satirize 24-hour cable news with the same precision they applied to local news in the original. Ron Burgundy at a CNN-style network, discovering that ratings come from car chases and nationalism rather than journalism, is accidentally the most astute media criticism of the decade. The news team battle royale — featuring Kanye West, Tina Fey, and a minotaur — is the most ambitious comedy sequence of the 2010s.
Fun Facts
The news team battle features cameos from Will Smith, Kanye West, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jim Carrey, and a CGI minotaur.
An alternate version with entirely different improvised jokes was released theatrically as 'Anchorman 2: Super-Sized R-Rated Version.'
Ferrell and McKay spent nine years developing the sequel — they rejected over a dozen scripts before settling on the cable news angle.
Steve Carell's Brick Tamland has more screen time in the sequel than the original — fan demand for the character drove the expansion.
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