‘What if?’ roles for Will Ferrell
February 24, 2009
What would happen if Will Ferrell brought his trademark frat boy humor to some of Hollywood’s classics?
Toy Story (1995)
Taking the reins from fellow goofball comic Tim Allen, Ferrell fills the moon boots of Buzz Lightyear, instantly garnering the computer-animated ‘toon an “R” rating. Infusing his brand of frat boy humor into the wily spaceman causes the other toys to revolt. Led by Woody, the straight-laced good-to-do cowpoke, Lightyear is ousted from Andy’s room in a scene destined for the Disney vault. Undeterred, Buzz fires up a day-long kegger to mend the bridges with his former fabric friends. Things go awry yet again when the Slinky dog succumbs to alcohol poisoning, sparking an impromptu funeral/burial, which serves as the film’s climax and leads to Ferrell’s permanent banishment from voice acting. Special guest appearance: Luke Wilson as Gerald, the mild-mannered choo-train.
Home Alone (1990)
Clumsy and foppish, Ferrell finds himself comfortable in the role of the equally obnoxious Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy already accustomed to shouting and making people feel uncomfortable. Peeved by being left home while his family enjoys the Parisian night life, Kevin phones fellow rave-happy classmates Steve and Bear, portrayed by Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, respectively. Turning the quaint suburban home into a subwoofer-rocking fun house, the movie’s new ending revolves around a slam-bang strip poker “fun-raiser” featuring town locals. But the party goes south after the creepy snow shovel guy has too much to drink and the drunken Santa Claus has too little to drink, creating convenient comedic turmoil. The mood further sours when the family returns unexpectedly on Christmas morning to find a nude, Magic Marker-covered Jack Black fully entombed within a beer can pyramid.
Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Arguably the most celebrated sci-fi flick of all time, director Irvin Kershner decides to go a different route with his cult favorite, replacing screen favorite Mark Hamill with bubbly good guy Ferrell. Overly impressed by his Jedi powers, the stand-in Skywalker sneaks a six pack of Blue Moon into the Millennium Falcon in celebration. Foregoing the bottle opener found on the back of R2-D2 for his sparkly green laser sword, Luke drunkenly saws off his “beer hand,” which fills him with a shame no amount of pudding wrestling or womanizing can subdue. Down on his luck, the young hero drowns his sorrows in a fit of intergalactic alcoholism with Darth Vader, now played by Ben Stiller. Rather sloshed himself, Anakin finally admits to being Luke’s father, but only after drunk-texting half the dark side his naughtiest secrets. Cameo appearance by Steve Carell as an incontinent stormtrooper who spits as he talks.