One of the stars of the 2004 comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story looks completely different from his role in the iconic film released 20 years ago.
Missi Pyle, 51, played Fran Stalinovskovichdavidovitchsky, a dodgeball player from Romanovia, where the game is the country’s national sport.
The original film follows a group of misfits who participate in a dodgeball tournament in Las Vegas to save their beloved local gym, Average Joe’s, from attack by a corporate fitness chain, Globo Gym.
Known for her monobrow, Fran is recruited by Ben Stiller’s character, owner White Goodman, to join the Globo Gym team.
But two decades later, actress Missi looks very different from her Dodgeball character, who had crooked teeth, a single eyebrow and wore her hair in Princess Leia-style buns.
Missi Pyle (seen in 2023), one of the stars of the 2004 comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, looks completely different from her role in the iconic film released 20 years ago.
Known for her monobrow, Fran is recruited by Ben Stiller’s character, owner White Goodman, to join the Globo Gym team.
In the years following the hilarious film, Missi amassed an impressive portfolio of film and television work, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Two Broke Girls.
Most recently, Missi appeared in the 2023 Amazon Prime show Shelter, based on the book by Harlan Coben. The miniseries was canceled after one season.
It comes after it was revealed that Vince Vaughn, who played Average Joe’s Gym owner Pete LaFleur in the original film, was set to appear in an upcoming Dodgeball sequel, made by 20th Century Fox.
Jordan VanDina will write the script for the sequel. Deadline reported, after Rawson Marshall Thurber wrote and directed the first film.
It was not immediately clear if Rawson, who most recently directed the 2021 film Red Notice, would be in the director’s chair for the sequel.
Vince, 53, will reprise his role as Peter La Fleur in the sequel to the hit film, which also starred Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Justin Long, Stephen Root and the late Rip Torn.
Other notable names that appeared in the original film include Missi, Jason Bateman, Gary Cole, Alan Tudyk, Joel David Moore, Chris Williams, Hank Azaria, Chuck Norris, and William Shatner.
The initial film, which grossed $168 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, saw Globo Gym attempt to buy Average Joe’s.
Two decades later, actress Missi looks a far cry from her Dodgeball character, who had crooked teeth, a single eyebrow and wore her hair in Princess Leia-style buns.
In the years following the hilarious film Missi (seen in 2023), she amassed an impressive portfolio of film and television work, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Two Broke Girls.
The film culminated with the groups taking part in a $50,000 (£39,760) dodgeball competition in Las Vegas.
The second installment of the franchise, according to the outlet, “will continue the story of the award-winning owner of Vaughn’s gym” based on an idea by the actor.
Thurber spoke to the media about revisiting the franchise in 2021 through film or television projects.
“You know what? Never say never,” Thurber said. “I never thought of Dodgeball as a series, but it could actually be fun.
‘I’m very proud of Dodgeball: it’s my first film and people still seem to like it a lot.
‘I would say never say never, and that would have to be the right way to approach it. But yes, maybe.
In December 2022, Vince confirmed that he and Ben Stiller were open to making a sequel, after initially saying Ben was “cautious.”
During the premiere of the comedy Christmas With The Campbells, which Vince co-wrote and produced, he confirmed his and Ben’s interest in making a follow-up film, as long as it includes quality material.
It comes after it was revealed that Vince Vaughn, who played Average Joe’s Gym owner Pete LaFleur in the original film, was set to appear in an upcoming Dodgeball sequel, made by 20th Century Fox.
“They’ve always talked about this stuff and I had an idea that was fun and the studio likes it, so we’ll see where it goes,” Vince said. The Hollywood Reporter.
“I think Ben is up for it, I think he’s in the same boat as me, and if it’s a really fun and cool idea then it’s fun, but if it’s something that needs to be done again, why?” Vaughn explained.
Vince believes that sequels can be successful when the script has “a story that can stand on its own.”
“You just want to make sure that going into Dodgeball it feels like a good sequel,” the Wedding Crasher star said.
“I think for all of us, if it feels good and it’s fun, it would be something to come back to, and if it’s not, it’s just another idea floating around.”