Zoolander 2 May Actually Be an, uh, Animated Web Series

So it was reported last week that Zoolander 2 was in the works, but Ben Stiller just announced that he’s working on a Zoolander animated web series. Buh?

“It’s just a way to say, ‘Hey, let’s go do a couple of little five-minute episodes,’” Mr. Stiller said, “as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, let’s pitch it to the studio and then let’s have a fight over the budget for six months.’” The “Zoolander” cartoon, Mr. Stiller said, will see him reprise the character that he and Drake Sather created for comedy skits shown on the VH1 Fashion Awards in the 1990s. Mr. Stiller said he hoped to have supporting cast members from the film, a roster that included Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell, provide the voices of their animated incarnations.

He says these shorts may turn into a movie, but it certainly doesn’t seem like the point of them. It’s not entirely clear if the script that has been in the works for Zoolander 2 is still being worked on and if the 2012 release that’s been talked about is still happening. It seems a little strange to create an animated web series based on a movie and then have a legit sequel come out, but in theory they could just use the series to promote the movie. I guess? The whole thing seems a little strange, doesn’t it?

Zoolander 2 May Actually Be an, uh, Animated Web Series