In Heaven? I wonder what the religious and anti-drug advocacy groups will think about that…
Also not in the legaue with The Odd Couple, how about The Last Picture Show and Texasville (19 years)? Both based on Larry McMurtry novels, both directed by Peter Bogdanovich, and featuring many of the same characters played by the original actors. Or Terms of Endearment/The Evening Star – also both based on McMurtry novels, strangely enough – 13 years. (Different directors, though, and I think the only actors who reprised their roles were Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson, while most other parts were recast.)
–Cliffy
The following project has not gone into production yet, but I hear it’s a lock to get made:
There is to be a “Wizard of Oz” sequel called “Surrender Dorothy.”
In the story, the great granddaughter of the Wicked Witch of the West discovers that the ruby slippers belong to a member of Dorothy’s offspring – could be a great granddaughter, but I’m not sure – who is currently living in New York City. So the granddaughter of the WWW sets out to get them back ("… We’re not in Oz anymore!").
Drew Barrymore is set to play one of the leads, most likely the current holder of said ruby slippers. Now that I think of it, if would probably be cooler if they had to pried away from some angry transvestite working the streets.
Gosh, a pair of ugly-ass red shoes in New York City? Forget Drew Barrymore; you could cast Sarah Jessica Parker.
I think it is fair to exclude direct-to-video sequels. But Peter Pan 2: Return to Neverland would still qualify. It was a theatrical release and did pretty well (approx. $50 million), which considering how much it cost to make explains why they keep making the crappy sequels.
Don’t forget Return to Oz (I think that was the name, correct me if I’m wrong), the 1985 movie based on some of the other Oz books. While not the longest time, 46 years is still up there.
If we’re counting sequels with different actors, Dragnet came out 36 years after the TV show.