Stolen documents from the Sony hack reveal why ‘Pineapple Express 2’ was never produced.
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Emails leaked by hackers following last month’s cyberattack on Sony’s systems have shown how Sony handles contract negotiations with actors, agents, and producers.
In January, Apatow emailed Sony Pictures co-chairman Amy Pascal to say he was optimistic that the sequel would get made. “I am so glad we are so close to getting Pineapple Express 2figured out,” he wrote. “I am very excited to make this thing real. We are very inspired creatively on this one. We have hilarious ideas.” He added that the sequel would make more money than the first one, explaining: “Marijuana is so popular now!”
That same day, Rogen sent a similar email to Pascal: “Got some stuff we are pretty psyched about. It would be a blast.”
However, difficulty arose when the exact budget was debated. Sony’s financial team held firm on allotting $45 million, but Apatow wanted to make it for $50 million, rationalizing that the extra money would go toward better action scenes to offer more marketability to an international audience.
Columbia Pictures later shot down the idea of a Pineapple Express sequel saying “”In my heart, I don’t believe Pineapple is Austin Powers or even Anchorman; I think it’s more like This Is the End.” Pascal, too, was unwilling to spend more than $45 million, essentially killing it.
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