Why the Robin Williams-Led ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Sequel Was Cancelled
Some classics should remain standalones.
THE BIG PICTURE
- The tragic passing of Robin Williams is the main reason why a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel was never made, as no one else could have played the character.
- The rest of the cast, including Matthew Lawrence and Lisa Jakub, were open to a sequel, but Mara Wilson and Sally Field expressed their disinterest.
- Although a sequel may have been promising, it’s best that Mrs. Doubtfire remains a perfect standalone film that still holds up as a beloved comedy.
If you’re anything like me then the mere thought of a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel is enough to make you panic. The entire idea of a sequel to the classic film feels wrong. After all, there was no cliffhanger to be resolved or any loose ends to be tied up, so why revisit such a perfect film if it’s not necessary to do so? The film, which was released in 1993, follows recently divorced Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), who struggles with the limited time he gets to spend with his children. In an attempt to get to see them more, he disguises himself as an elderly woman named Mrs. Doubtfire and secretly rejoins the family as their housekeeper. What ensues is a hilarious
While the sequel idea has never come to fruition, the only saving grace about it was that the original film’s director Chris Columbus and Mrs. Doubtfire himself Robin Williams were the ones working on the film and coming up with the idea. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Columbus confirmed his involvement with the rumored sequel. “No, we were involved with it because it was something Robin and I always talked about.” He continued on to say why the project suddenly came to life despite past apprehension. “We said for years that we would never do it, then somebody came up with a really interesting idea, and we agreed to develop a script.” While it’s likely for the best that the sequel never saw the light, what exactly led to the film never coming to be?
Mrs. Doubtfire
After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife.
How Did Robin Williams’ Death Affect the ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Sequel?
The most glaring reason for the film not being made is the tragic passing of Robin Williams. Williams passed away in his home on August 11, 2014, leaving behind a legendary career filled with many laughs and lots of joy. To this day he remains one of the greatest actors and comedians, and is just as beloved as he always was. Without him as the titular Mrs. Doubtfire a sequel would just never work, and Chris Columbus was adamant he wouldn’t continue on with the sequel without Robin. To him, there was no one else who could play the character, and we wholeheartedly agree. In the same Entertainment Weekly interview he simply said, “It definitely will never happen now.”
In the same interview, Chris Columbus was asked what the sequel was going to be about, but Columbus was unable to give an answer. “It’s so delicate,” He said. “I’d love to talk about it, but it’s really too difficult at this point.” And to this day we still don’t know what the sequel’s plot was going to be, effectively squashing any chance of someone else picking up a sequel to the flick. There is simply no one who could fill Robin’s shoes, that much is for sure.
Not All the ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Cast Wanted to Return
Aside from Robin Williams, the rest of the cast played just as crucial a part in the film. After all, who would Mrs. Doubtfire be without the kids she’s the nanny for? Matthew Lawrence who played Chris in the original film was completely game for a sequel, as he shared in an interview with TMZ. “Of course I would be on board. I hope they make the second as good as the first. The first was so good.” He said. Lisa Jakub who played Lydia was more on the fence, as she shared in a post on her personal blog. Meanwhile, Mara Wilson took to Twitter to adamantly share her stance on the sequel, saying: “For the record, no, I do not have anything to do with the Mrs. Doubtfire sequel, nor will I.”
As for Sally Field who played Miranda Hillard, in an appearance on David Letterman in 2014, she joked that they “didn’t call me.” Meanwhile, Pierce Brosnan who played Miranda’s new boyfriend Stu, spoke to I Am Rogue and said “If they want me, they know where to find me.” And Harvey Fierstein who played Daniel Hillard’s brother, who turned him into the iconic Mrs. Doubtfire, said that it was still the role he was best known for in an interview with Sirius XM Entertainment. He quipped that he “couldn’t imagine they would dare do it without me.”
We Will Never See the Sequel — and That’s OK
It’s pretty clear by now that we are never going to see a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel, and that is quite alright. No one could play the role better than Robin Williams, and the original film is already so perfect, there doesn’t need to be a continuation. Sure we could have caught up with Stu and Miranda to see how their relationship is going, and yeah maybe it would be cool to see how Daniel/Mrs. Doubtfire’s show is going, but at the end of the day, those aren’t burning questions we need answered. Instead, the film is perfect on its own and should remain as such. It’s a classic that still holds up as the wholesome, family-friendly comedy that we know and love. A sequel may have been promising had it gone ahead, but at the end of the day, maybe it’s best that this one was shelved for good.
Mrs. Doubtfire is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
