Anna Faris is sparking excitement among fans after revealing the possibility of a sequel to “The House Bunny,” the 2008 comedy movie, in which she starred as Playboy Bunny-turned-sorority mom, Shelly Darlington. While nothing has been confirmed, the idea of a follow-up has already generated buzz among fans, and Faris has expressed her desire to step into the role of Shelly once again.
At the “Scary Movie” premiere, Entertainment Tonight caught up with Anna Faris, who had something to say about another movie she starred in. Talking to a reporter, she said, “I would love to talk to you about ‘House Bunny’ stuff.”
Faris said there’s “interest” in a sequel, and while it’s too early to tell whether one is possible, she knows the original film, as well as her character in the movie, Shelly Darlington, has a following. “I never thought that dream would ever be realized either… It’s too soon to say anything but it turns out, that movie is beloved, and that character too,” she said.
Fans Want A Zeta House Reunion
“The House Bunny” was released in 2008, and it follows Shelly Darlington, a Playboy Bunny aspiring to be on the centerfold of the magazine, but gets kicked out of the Playboy Mansion instead. She ends up serving as a house mother for the Zeta Alpha Zeta sorority, helping its socially awkward members reach their full potential and also learning a few lessons along the way.
The movie starred Colin Hanks, Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, Katherine McPhee, and Rumer Willis, with cameo appearances from Hugh Hefner, Shaquille O’Neal, and Bunnies Holly Madison, Kendra Wilkinson, and Bridget Marquardt.
Faris’ statements fired up the movie’s fanbase, with many expressing their excitement over the possibility of a sequel. “No I’m cryinnnggg cause I’ve been dreaming about this since I was in middle school!!!” one fan commented. “I would DIE if they brought it back for a sequel,” another added.
Anna Faris Said Adam Sandler Saved ‘The House Bunny’
Faris came up with the concept of a Playboy Bunny getting dismissed from the mansion and approached screenwriters Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah. However, Faris had a darker plot in mind. The writers instead injected comedic elements into the story and came up with the final script.
On the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Faris told host Josh Horowitz that they pitched “The House Bunny” more than 20 times to different companies and got rejected. Their 24th attempt, and the last one, was to Happy Madison Productions, Adam Sandler’s company. Faris said they didn’t even have to pitch to Sandler.
Sandler saw the actress in the waiting room and asked what she was doing there, to which she replied, “I said, ‘I’m here to pitch you a movie,’ and he said, ‘What’s it about?’ And I said, ‘A Playboy Bunny who gets kicked out of the mansion,’ And he was like, ‘Okay, all right. That’s pretty funny.’”
Several weeks later, Faris was on set filming the movie.
The Actress Got Tired Of Waiting For Roles
Faris’ breakout role was in “Scary Movie,” released in 2000. In the years following, she appeared in three more installments of “Scary Movie” and nabbed supporting roles in other films, such as “The Hot Chick,” “Lost in Translation,” and “Just Friends,” among others.
In an interview in 2008, Faris shared what pushed her to come up with the concept of “The House Bunny.” “I got a little tired of waiting for men to cast me in their comedies. I decided to do like Hollywood’s comic boys club does,” she told the Boston Herald.
Apart from taking on the lead role, Faris also served as one of the executive producers of “The House Bunny.” Three years later, she also executive-produced and starred in the romantic comedy “What’s Your Number?”
Anna Faris Said ‘The House Bunny’ Was Life-Changing
“The House Bunny” proved to be a formative experience for Faris in more ways than one. In 2022, she shared how uncomfortable she was for two weeks while filming, saying she wasn’t used to wearing skimpy outfits. Despite being out of her comfort zone, she pushed forward and, in the end, felt more empowered.
In a 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Faris shared that Shelley was a “life-changing role,” not only for her career but for her personal growth. “I loved playing a character who was not competitive with other people, and who was really wonderful. That made me want to lead my life with compliments… I loved playing a character who was so generous with her love,” she explained.
At that time, Faris also shared ideas for a sequel, saying that Shelley could be a bad country singer, but she was leaning more toward the former Playboy Bunny working as a CIA interrogator. “Let’s write a script. I would love that,” Faris said.
