Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump Reunion Movie Proves It's Good A Sequel Never Happened

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Here

Tom Hanks Forrest Gump Reunion Movie Proves It's Good A Sequel Never Happened

Here is Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump reunion movie, but the film's release proves that it is good that a Forrest Gump sequel never happened. While Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis have collaborated since Forrest Gump, with the duo working on Cast Away, The Polar Express, and 2022's Pinocchio remake, Here is the first time that Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Robert Zemeckis have all worked together since the 1994 classic. While Here may not be a proper Forrest Gump sequel, the movie's performance has proven that it may be a good think that Forrest Gump 2 never happened.

Ever since Forrest Gump was released in 1994, many fans of the Robert Zemeckis film have been clamoring for a sequel. However, one still hasn't happened. While a second film has been discussed in the past, with a story even being planned, Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis haven't made Forrest Gump 2. Hanks and Zemeckis both agreed that the proposed story for Forrest Gump 2 was unnecessary, with them deciding to leave the original as is. This was probably a good call based on the career trajectory of Robert Zemeckis with the release of 2024's Here.

Here Is Another Misstep For Tom Hanks & Robert Zemeckis After Forrest Gump

Continuing A Two Decade Downward Trend

Here has finally been released, and the film has turned out to be another major misstep for Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis after Forrest Gump. Here has been plagued with bad reviews, with it being panned by critics almost across the board. As of the writing of this article, Here has a 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is incredibly low for an actor like Tom Hanks. Here has also been a box office failure, with it only making $5 million in its opening weekend against a budget of $50 million.

While Here's performance is the continuation of a trend that has been going on for 20 years, it is still sad to see. Here is just the latest entry in a series of failed collaborations between Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks. The duo started out strong, with Forrest Gump and Cast Away both being critical and commercial successes that solidified them as a powerhouse team.

Tom Hanks looking at Robin Wright who is posing in Here

Here Reviews: Tom Hanks & Robin Wright Respond To The Divided Reactions To Their Forrest Gump Reunion Movie

Here actors Tom Hanks and Robin Wright respond to the negative reviews that their latest reunion with Robert Zemeckis has received from critics.

Since Cast Away, however, things haven't gone nearly as well. 2004's The Polar Express and 2022's Pinocchio remake both reunited Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis, with their critical performances showing how far the mighty have fallen. Robert Zemeckis career has taken a downward trend since his early successes with movies like Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, with his latest movies being flops like Welcome to Marwin and 2020's The Witches.

A Forrest Gump Sequel Likely Would Not Have Fixed Hanks & Zemeckis' Recent Track Record

It Would Have Only Made Things Worse

Despite the potential for a Forrest Gump sequel being exciting, it is likely that a second movie would not have fixed Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis' recent track record. Zemeckis' failings over the past few years have not had to do with something that is out of the director's control. Instead, most critics point to Zemeckis prioritizing technology over story as the director's fatal flaw. This can be seen in movies like The Polar Express, Beowulf, and Welcome to Marwen, all of which fall flat due to prioritizing innovative technology over good filmmaking.

On top of that, things have only gotten worse for Forrest Gump in the years since it was released. The critical reception of Forrest Gump has gotten worse as time has gone on, with some pointing to problematic issues and the overly positive vibe that the film is trying to convey. While a Forrest Gump 2 could have been a massive hit in the late 1990s or early 2000s, it is far too late to try and pull one off now. A Forrest Gump sequel in the 2020s may just seem sad, and there is no way that it could have lived up to the original's popularity after Hanks and Zemeckis' recent performances.

Here Is Still Better For Hanks & Zemeckis Than A Forrest Gump Sequel

At Least It Was Something Original

Although the film has not been a critical or commercial success, Here is still better for Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis than Forrest Gump 2 would be. Here is at least trying something new, and while it wasn't executed well, the gimmick of the film's one camera angle is imaginative. It serves as a strong hook that is compelling, which is something that some of Zemeckis' other technological pursuits don't have. Digging up old franchises often carries with it a negative stigma, something that would have only served to hurt Hanks and Zemeckis further.

Robin Wright and Tom Hanks as Margaret and Richard in Here

Why The Camera Only Moves Once In Here & What It Means

In the 2024 drama, Here, the camera moves only once during the entire movie, and as you might expect, it moves at one of the most pivotal moments.

After decades of talking about how unnecessary Forrest Gump 2 is, the announcement of a sequel would have made fans of the original immediately skeptical after Zemeckis' recent outings. While Here didn't work out, audiences were at least willing to give Hanks and Zemeckis a chance, a graciousness that they most likely wouldn't have offered if they were making Forrest Gump 2. Forrest Gump 2 would also have only served to highlight the issues with the original film, something that has the potential to retroactively make Zemeckis' situation even worse.

Does Here's Reception Make A Forrest Gump Sequel More Likely?

A Sequel Still Probably Won't Happen

Now that Here has brought Hanks, Wright, and Zemeckis back together, one of the biggest looming questions has to do with whether it makes a Forrest Gump sequel more likely. Much of the talk surrounding Here has had to do with the Forrest Gump reunion, leading many to wonder why a proper Forrest Gump reunion hasn't happened yet. It is possible that, if Here were to be a major success, it could renew interest in Forrest Gump 2 in the modern age of legacy sequels and reboots.

However, since Here has been a critical and commercial failure, it is unlikely that the film has made a Forrest Gump sequel any more likely. While a Forrest Gump sequel would undoubtedly make more money than Here due to how iconic the first movie is, the poor track record of Hanks and Zemeckis' collaborations will make audiences and studios skeptical, something that Here has only reinforced. Here is probably the closest that we'll ever get to a Forrest Gump sequel unless something major changes for the actor and director.

Here is an objective and formal description for the movie Here (2024): Directed by Robert Zemeckis, this film is an exploration of time and memory, unraveling the intertwined lives and stories of families across generations in a New England setting.

Director Robert Zemeckis

Release Date November 1, 2024

Studio(s) MiraMax , Playtone , ImageMovers

Distributor(s) TriStar Pictures

Writers Robert Zemeckis , Eric Roth

Cast Tom Hanks , Robin Wright , Paul Bettany , Kelly Reilly , Albie Salter , Michelle Dockery , Gwilym Lee , Nicholas Pinnock , Nikki Amuka-Bird , Cache Vanderpuye , Keith Bartlett , Daniel Betts , Leslie Zemeckis , Alfie Todd , Ellis Grunsell , Zsa Zsa Zemeckis , Teddy Russell , Finn Guegan , Callum Macreadie , Lauren McQueen , Grace Lyra , Jemima Macintyre , Billie Gadsdon , Beau Gadsdon , Harry Marcus , Diego Scott , Logan Challis , Albie Mander , Eloísa Ferreira , Eliza Daley , Elodie Crapper , Faith Delaney

Character(s) Richard , Margaret , Al , Rose , Jimmy , Pauline Harter , John Harter , Devon Harris , Helen Harris , Justin Harris , Benjamin Franklin , William Franklin , Elizabeth Franklin , Billy Franklin , Young Richard , Vanessa

Runtime 104 Minutes

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