Kumari Shreya
A movie with an undeniably unique premise, Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Ricky Stanicky’ is directed by Peter Farrelly and revolves around three men who have continued to lay the blame for all their antics on a fictional person named Ricky Stanicky. However, when their respective partners demand to meet the elusive Ricky, the men scramble to find someone who will be willing to take the brunt of the crimes laid on the feet of the fictional man.
Starring Zac Efron, John Cena, Jermaine Fowler, and Andrew Santino, among many others, the film has been successful in entertaining many people. As such, it is quite natural that the world is curious to learn more about just how this story came to be. Is it, not unlike the titular character, a fictional creation, or is it inspired by real-life events?
Ricky Stanicky is a Fictional Project Developed Over Many Years
As it turns out, ‘Ricky Stanicky’ is actually a story that has developed over many years. When asked why he was so passionate about the movie, director Peter Farrelly simply commented that it was because the script was “funny.” Known for his work in ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ ‘Shallow Hal,’ ‘ There’s Something About Mary,’ and ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever,’ Farrelly is well respected when it comes to comedic cinematic creations, and his passing for this particular project has certainly been palpable for all to see.
The initial concept of the movie was written by Jeff Bushell, a writer through whom Farrelly himself got to know about the movie. The initial development of the movie began in May 2010, when James Franco was set to play the titular role, and Summit Entertainment was ready to finance it. However, the project took a backseat soon enough, and Franco left it in 2012. There was a time when actors like Joaquin Phoenix and Jim Carrey were also considered for the main role, but things did not pan out.
Farrelly revealed to Deadline in September 2022 that he was taking up the project, having worked on it for a long time. “I’ve been trying to do it for 10 years, and I think its time has come. I’m shooting it in January, and we’re in negotiations with John Cena and Zac Efron,” he said when talking about the hard-R comedy movie. “They’re not locked in. I want to make that clear. Ricky Stanicky, I think, is just a hilarious movie, and it’s a great message, not just a bunch of hard-R laughs.”
As it turns out, Efron and Cena did end up agreeing to be a part of the project, with Cena in the titular role. Over the course of the movie’s production, the cast bonded over the work and expressed their desire for the film to entertain the masses. For a script that had been in the works for well over a decade and a half and was even inducted into the Black List of Best Unproduced Screenplays in 2010, the expectations on the Farrelly directorial were certainly high.
Talking about the character of Ricky Stanicky, Farrelly has expressed his trust in Cena’s comedic timing on more than one occasion, even comparing him to Jim Carrey. It was thanks to the actor’s performance in ‘Peacemaker‘ that Farrelly realized that Cena was “hysterical” and might just be the one needed to bring Ricky Stanicky to life. The director’s admiration for Efron is also well-known, given that Farrelly worked with him for ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ and has been openly appreciative of the skills that the actor showcased in ‘Iron Claw.’
While ‘Ricky Stanicky’ may not be based on real-life events, there are moments that one cannot help but easily relate to. Blaming all possible faults on a convenient scapegoat might just be a dream for many, and the panic that the three friends find themselves in when they are called out on their lies is too relatable. However, the story itself is fictional and has developed over 15 years. With some of the best names trying to bring the story to the screen at one point or another, the anticipation behind the Amazon Prime Video movie is certainly easy to understand despite it not being based on a true story.
Read More: Amazon Prime’s Ricky Stanicky: Where is the Adult Buddy Comedy Filmed?
