Zoolander 2 Release Date and Cast Update: Ben Stiller's Wife Christine Taylor Appearance Confirmed along with Kristen Wiig, Olivia Munn, Kim Kardashian

Aug 03, 2015 09:18 PM EDT

Fans who watched Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation got to have a special treat with a preview of what could be a new blockbuster for Paramount.  The preview begins with what sounds like Stephen Hawking narrating the wonders of the universe, with some great computer animation.  From there, it shows a close-up of a brain, and it looks very small for its head.  It is then revealed to be the model idiot Derek Zoolander, who doesn’t seem to understand the naming methods of sequels like 2oolander or Zoolander II.  This is what is known about Zoolander 2 Release Date, Cast, and Info. 

So it has been over a decade since the release of the first Zoolander movie. The issue is what could this one possibly be about.  According to the CS Monitor,  Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are back together again, but they are fashion models that the world has essentially forgotten about.  The challenge is that they are forced to “reinvent themselves”, and it is a safe bet that other kinds of hijinks will ensue.    

Along for the ride are returning cast members from the last film like Derek’s wife Matilda (played by Stiller’s real wife Christine Taylor) and even Mugatu (Will Ferrell, who was the villain from the first film).  According to the official imdb page, other celebrities added to the mix are Kristen Wiig, Penelope Cruz, Olivia Munn, as well as other big names like Kim Kardashian West, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and I’m sure there will be even more. 

The first Zoolander film is a definite deliberately stupid comedy with a weak plot similar to The Manchurian Candidate, but most remember Stiller’s character as a vapid male model Derek.  A recent article by Forbes states that the release of the film, in early September 2001, often gets the film associated with 9/11.  The first film doesn’t really have any agenda other than show how superficial the world is, and it was not overly preachy about it, but it definitely had a skewed view of the fashion industry. 

Zoolander 2 will be directed by its star Ben Stiller, and it was co-written with Justin Theroux.  Stiller and Theroux worked together on the film Tropic Thunder, which Stiller also directed.  That film, which was also satirical in its view of Hollywood was a hit with audiences and critics, so perhaps Zoolander 2 could be another notch on Stiller’s belt of hits.  According to Independent, it was already promoted at Paris fashion week as both Stiller and Wilson strutted down the Valentino catwalk as their movie personas. 

However, it could backfire, as most sequels that are released over a decade after the original come off as too late.  Stiller’s comedies often start very funny, but sequels, like those of the Meet the Parents and Night at the Museum series, tend to be lacking.  Still, you can believe that the die-hard fans of the last decade that remember Derek will be in line on February 12, 2016, the official release date for the film.