Star of the 1984 hit 16 Candles, Anthony Michael Hall has given his approval of Selena Gomez's 15 Candles spin-off.
In 2022, Variety reported that Gomez, Tanya Saracho, and Gabriela Revilla Lugo are teaming up to develop a TV comedy based on John Hughes' Sixteen Candles.
Titled 15 Candles, the half-hour Peacock series is set to follow four young Latinas in high school as they navigate feelings of invisibility and explore the transition from childhood during quinceañera season.
40 years after hitting theaters, the man who played Farmer Ted in the original responded to the idea of a 16 Candles spin-off.
Anthony Michael Hall Discusses to 16 Candles Spin-Off
While promoting his Netflix film Trigger Warning, Anthony Michael Hall told The Direct's David Thompson that he is "all for" the upcoming 15 Candles series, calling Selena Gomez a "very savvy businesswoman:"
"I'm all for it. You look at the case of Jessica Alba, right? She's a woman in Hollywood who's a producer. She has a Latino background. She's Latina herself. I think that's a cool idea. When I read about it, I thought that would be very cool. And Selena knows what she's doing. Obviously, she's very savvy businesswoman, right?"
Continuing his praise for Gomez and the trust he has in the upcoming project, Hall added that "she definitely knows what she's doing:"
"As an actress, she works and she's on that show 'Murders in the Building.' She's great. She's got a hundred million followers. She's got a recording career. She definitely knows what she's doing. So I say more power to her. I think it's great."
When discussing the premise of the 15 Candles series, Hall called it "a really great idea" and specifically noted that it could give young women "positive ideas and a positive spin on the film:"
"Now, to the specifics of her project, I think that's a great setup...How many of our states are benefited by the Latin American population, right? So I think that perspective, first of all, it's a huge audience that can just pull in young women, give them positive ideas and a positive spin on the film. But specifically Latina young girls, too. I think that's great. Honestly, I think that's a really great idea."
Hall mentioned that "some of the jokes haven't aged well" in Sixteen Candles but believes that "as long as the humor is there" in 15 Candles it will be "a great way to franchise the original:"
"And I think as long as the humor is there, which I'm sure it will be, that’s a great way to franchise the original, and what John [Hughes] had done. Which by the way, in its intent was multicultural and fun and in good spirits.
I know some of the jokes haven't aged well, and that's been brought up by others in the past, and I don't want to go there. But I think overall the spirit of it was that's the point of the humor, that everybody can sort of wind up at a healthier, better place than they start off in a comedy in that context."
The 56-year-old actor mentioned "the three H rule" that could apply to this project that he learned from previously working with the father-son duo of Michael Piller and Shawn Piller:
"They had the three H rule, so humor, heart, and horror. That was the thought with 'Dead Zone' because it was more specific to the Sci-Fi and drama genre. But the idea of humor and heart in film, TV, and showing that and allowing your characters to find and express that."
Doubling down on the fact that "as long as the humor is there" Hall is confident 15 Candles can be a success with "a wide audience of girls" and beyond:
"So that's really important, I learned that from the Pillers and certainly with John Hughes. So I think that Selena would do a great job with this as long as the humor is there. That's a great way into the story for young Latin girls. And that would hit a wide audience of girls that are not just Latina."
Will A Sequel to 16 Candles Ever Release?
The upcoming 15 Candles project on Peacock is the closest thing to a sequel for the original Sixteen Candles, but that doesn't mean the idea has not been discussed before.
Back in 2003, a direct 16 Candles sequel from USA Network was reportedly in the works with Sam (Molly Ringwald), Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe), and Farmer Ted (Hall) all returning.
In 2005, Ringwald discussed the sequel, stating, "I've turned it down for years. I couldn't see how it would work. Now, it seems right."
However, the time was never truly "right" as in 2008 Ringwald said she "didn't feel comfortable doing it" if original director John Hughes was not involved:
"It was something that I definitely wanted to do but John Hughes wasn't interested, and I didn't feel comfortable doing it without his involvement."
Sadly, Hughes passed away due to a sudden heart attack on August 6, 2009. The beloved filmmaker was 59 years old.
Following his death there was no further development of the Sixteen Candles sequel with the original cast.
Sixteen Candles is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
