NEWS
How Close Jim Carrey Came to Making The Mask 2
20 Jun 2026 By Tommy Pihl (Editor-in-Chief)
Many Jim Carrey fans have wondered why "The Mask" never got a proper sequel starring Jim. Now, original director Chuck Russell has finally revealed what happened. In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Russell confirmed that he actually wrote a script for "The Mask 2" and that everyone involved loved it. The project was moving forward, but there was one major obstacle: Jim Carrey chose to make "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" instead.
According to Russell, once Jim committed to The Grinch, plans for The Mask 2 lost momentum and were eventually abandoned. Jim Carrey had previously said that he was offered $10 million to return as Stanley Ipkiss, but after making Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, he became less interested in repeating his most famous roles. By the late 1990s, he was also focusing on more dramatic projects like The Truman Show and Man on the Moon.
Russell also explained that Hollywood's attitude toward sequels was different in the 1990s. Studios often wanted sequels made with smaller budgets, which made them less attractive creatively. That mindset likely played a role in The Mask 2 never becoming a reality. Instead, fans eventually got Son of the Mask in 2005—a sequel that did not feature Jim Carrey and Chuck Russell and was widely criticized.
While a true sequel never happened, Russell says he still loves the character and would be open to returning to the world of The Mask someday.
Interestingly, this isn't the first recent update from Chuck Russell about The Mask. Last week, we reported on another interview in which the director said he would be interested in returning to the franchise, particularly if Jim Carrey is involved. Russell admitted he is frequently asked about a new Mask movie and said he would love to revisit the character. His comments followed similar remarks from Cameron Diaz and Jim Carrey in 2025, with Diaz saying she would return if Jim was on board, while Jim said he would be open to coming back if the right idea came along.
While there are still no official plans for a new Mask film, the fact that Russell, Diaz, and Jim have all expressed interest continues to give fans hope for a long-awaited reunion.
Overview | Older article »
