‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Sequel Canceled In Light Of Robin Williams’ Death [REPORT]

Robin Williams’ death has, most likely, put an end to the potential sequel to his 1993 hit Mrs. Doubtfire.

Mrs. Doubtfire Sequel Likely Cancelled

Mrs. Doubtfire, one of Williams’ most beloved roles, is a family classic, and talk of a sequel has been around for years. Mrs. Doubtfire 2 was reportedly in the early stages of development, with director Chris Columbus tied to the project. Elf screenwriter David Berenbaum was working on the script for Fox, but neither Williams nor Columbus had officially signed on to the project. However, the film is reportedly unlikely to get made in light of Williams’ passing. Fox has yet to make an official decision regarding the project, but it’s unclear whether or not Columbus would return to the story without his star.

Following Williams’ death, Columbus released a statement calling Williams “one of this generation’s greatest actors.”

Columbus went on to praise Williams as a true comedic genius, saying, “To watch Robin work, was a magical and special privilege. His performances were unlike anything any of us had ever seen, they came from some spiritual and otherworldly place. He truly was one of the few people who deserved the title of ‘genius.’”

Mrs. Doubtfire Children Remember Robin Williams

Williams’ Mrs. Doubtfire co-stars, Matthew Lawrence, Mara Wilson and Lisa Jakub, who played his young children in the film, have also expressed their sadness and grief.

“He was the single most important influence in my career and not a day goes by I don’t appreciate the time I got to spend with him. My deepest thoughts and prayers are with his family,” Lawrence told E! News.

In a blog post, Wilson admitted that she had not spoken to her onscreen dad in years, writing, “While Robin and I had not talked in a few years, there is no question he had a great impact on my life. He was as warm and talented as everyone says, and a joy to be around. It’s as if my favorite teacher died.”

Jakub, who played the eldest daughter in Mrs. Doubtfire, shared one of her favorite memories of Williams in a touching blog post. Jakub recounted how, at 14, her high school expelled her because they were unable to work with her to continue her education on the Mrs. Doubtfire set. Williams, she said, wrote them a letter kindly asking them to allow Jakub to continue her education.

“I have spent the past three months working on Mrs. Doubtfire with Lisa Jakub. I found Lisa to be a bright, inquisitive and an eager to learn young lady. She is charming and a delight,” the letter began.

“A student of her caliber and talent should be encouraged to go out in the world and learn through her work. She should also be encouraged to return to the classroom when she is done to share those experiences and motivate her classmates to soar to their own higher achievements…I respectfully request that you reconsider your policy and allow Lisa the opportunity to work and attend school. She is an asset to any classroom,” Williams wrote.

Though they still refused, Jakub said what impacted her was how Williams supported her: “Robin stood up for me. He was in my corner. I was only 14, but I had already seen that I was in an industry that was full of backstabbing. And it was entirely clear that Robin had my back,” Jakub stated.

“Even though I had not spoken with Robin in a very long time, I always assumed there would be some future opportunity to tell him that his letter changed my life. It taught me that you stand up for the things that matter. And even if your attempts fail, you try. You told the truth. You took care of your friends. You fought back,” Jakub continued.

Addressing Williams’ suicide, Jakub took the opportunity to encourage those suffering from depression to seek help and revealed that she herself had struggled with the disease: “None of us really know what fights Robin was battling, but I know his struggles were not uncommon. It’s estimated that 16 million people in the US have struggled with depression – and I include myself in that statistic. It’s real and it’s not shameful and there is help available.”

Williams filmed Mrs. Doubtfire on location in San Francisco, and fans have flocked to the home used in the film, creating a memorial for the beloved actor.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.