Fans of Nickelodeon and ’90s nostalgia showed up in full force for Sunday’s Good Burger 2 panel during New York Comic Con. After a quick recap video of the first film, the filmmakers which included director/executive producer Phil Traill and writers/executive producers, Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert took the stage. However, the audience was in for a bigger treat when stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell made a surprise appearance to be part of the panel.
Kopelow and Seifert, who wrote the original Good Burger film but even the original All That show where the concept originated as a reoccurring sketch, expressed how joyful it was to be back working with Kenan and Kel. Seifert noted how they’ve known Kenan and Kel since they were teenagers and they truly feel like family. Kopelow has wanted to do a Good Burger sequel right after the first film was released, but it was only its resurgence in popularity, best exemplified by the Good Burger reunion sketch on the Tonight Show, that serious talks began.
Mitchell remarked how emotional working on the sequel and the entire NYCC experience has been for him. While the first film was shot in 6 weeks, the sequel had an even shorter filming duration of only 5 weeks. In addition, the film was shot in Rhode Island as opposed to California like the first film. Thompson was especially appreciative that the studio went out of the way to make the shooting location work on the East coast where his kids go to school. Though the film was shot in Rhode Island, they had their first table read at the same location they had the table read for the original Good Burger film, so it was a full circle moment.
Traill teased tons of Easter eggs for diehard fans such as a wall of photos of the original cast that couldn’t be in the new film.
Before a showcasing footage from the film, the Good Burger panel had time for some audience questions. A fan inquired about the Good Burger 2 Go book sequel published in 1998 and whether the events of the book play into the new movie. The filmmakers said the book is completely separate and its own thing. The panelists however were well aware of its existence as well as the book’s author, Steve Holland, someone they all highly respect. A fan of the All That sketch “Everyday French with Pierre Escargot” tried to converse with Thompson in French only for Thompson to concede he does not speak French at all.
The filmmakers expressed their desire for a third film for a complete Good Burger trilogy. Thompson joked that these are the days with 35 Fast & Furious sequel with Mitchell remarking, “Good Burger is family.”
The Good Burger 2 panel concluded showcasing 10 minutes from footage from the film. A brief highlight summary without too many spoilers in order to save some surprises:
-Dexter (Thompson) gets picked up by Ed (Mitchell) in the Good Burger Mobile with hilarious results
–Flula Borg cameo
-An awkward reunion between Dexter and his niece due to him losing all of her mother’s money in a failed business.
-It’s indeed all about family for Ed.
-Roxanne (Carmen Electra) have kept in touch since the first film.
For more on our NYCC coverage, click here!
