Yeah, no kidding. If they made Rounders 2, you couldn't drag me to see it.
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Rounders 2? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Pinkdan
- Start date
Yeah, no kidding. If they made Rounders 2, you couldn't drag me to see it.
It would be set in 2021. Streets empty. People wearing pieces of cloth over their face the whole time and playing six handed at tables with plexiglass. They could film it so quick and just dub any lines in later.
drdr
Straight
But the string betting... gah!
If even Rounders isn’t considered good, then there are no good poker movies.
That said, not eager for a sequel. It can only tarnish the original. Bound to be a bit smarmy with callouts to past characters, etc.
That said, not eager for a sequel. It can only tarnish the original. Bound to be a bit smarmy with callouts to past characters, etc.
WillyTLT
Pair
detroitdad
Royal Flush
It feels like people think I didn't like it. I enjoyed it. I don't have a desire to watch it again. Being a "good" poker movie doesn't necessarily make it a good movie.
I don't watch many poker movies. Most of them aren't any good.
So most of them aren't any good but you havn't seen many of them? JK, I think I know what you meant.
Imo Rounders was a stand alone movie. If they actually make a sequel I hope they flip the characters like Mike being the Card Room owner & Teddy being the broke Player/grinder etc etc. Who wouldn't want to root for Teddy lol
ekricket
Royal Flush
Worm has to die. This also reduces Mike to being broke, and he has to team up with Teddy to avenge Worm and clean out teddys rival.
They team up with 11 other guys and form a crew, Worms 12. They steal all the rivals money immediately, but then run a long con game so he doesn’t realize it until the very end.
I’m not a fan of shitty sequels, but what if this one ended up being good? Nothing to risk but two hours of your life.
Dumb and dumber is a great movie. The sequel was so bad, I don’t think I finished it. Doesn’t stop me from rewatching and loving the original.
Dumb and dumber is a great movie. The sequel was so bad, I don’t think I finished it. Doesn’t stop me from rewatching and loving the original.
WedgeRock
Royal Flush
What can they do?
A prequel setting up backstories, like the Han Solo movie?
A sequel with Mike's Vegas run or Worm dipping out?
Both options seem meh at best. Just leave it alone, so we don't have to deny it's existence.
A prequel setting up backstories, like the Han Solo movie?
A sequel with Mike's Vegas run or Worm dipping out?
Both options seem meh at best. Just leave it alone, so we don't have to deny it's existence.
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That’s the scene where he says rolled up kings over aces and women are the rake
Yeah a bad sequel can have an impact on the over genre. Making it harder to have degen movies. And JFC we don’t need worm back. I like Ed but we don’t really even need the same characters.
This is how I feel about the Terminator and Indiana Jones franchises…
There were TWO Terminator movies and exactly THREE Indiana Jones movies. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar.
This is where I got my idea from and it’s well written…
https://www.worldpokertour.com/news/the-plotline-possibilities-of-the-rounders-cinematic-universe/
Rounders Universe vs a sequel is a better concept imho
KNISH – Feature Film
When things went bad for Mike in the opening minutes of Rounders, Joey Knish was ready to help, first offering a stake and then offering the comfort of a regular paycheck via “the truck”.The Degenerates of Dwight Englewood Prep – A three-season series
You don’t just pick up any friend on the day he gets out of prison, but you certainly pick up your BEST friend. The bond between Mike McDermott and ‘Worm’ goes back to their teens when they first met at Dwight Englewood Preparatory School in New Jersey.Teddy KGB – Feature Film
Arguably the most iconic and endearing character from Rounders, Teddy KGB, played by John Malkovich, runs an underground club of his own – or maybe for the Russian mafia – and is also a talented and feared No Limit Hold’em player. In the opening scene of Rounders he beats Mike McDermott out of his entire $30,000 bankroll.https://www.worldpokertour.com/news/the-plotline-possibilities-of-the-rounders-cinematic-universe/
drdr
Straight
WSOP is pretty big lately.
I'd do a jump to current time. Set during WSOP, but have a theme of old school play style (rounders era) vs new style (GTO). Mike has been a semi successful pro (if inconstwith bank roll management) but has to contend with the new crop of players (battling mirrors of his old young self) to maybe win a bracelet. Plenty of drama can be inserted on and off the tables. Old characters and new can mix. Movie can appeal to multiple generations of players.
WedgeRock
Royal Flush
Chippy McChiperson
Straight Flush
I do like Rounders, very much actually, but @Saoliver nailed it when he brought up Cincinnati Kid. If you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend doing so.
buzzmonkey
Flush
Mikey is working jobs to pay off the notes he has with other rounders after losing his roll to some GTO influencer that beat him in a series of heads up games a few years before the movie. His kids are living with their mom because he had to sell everything and is living in an old hotel off Fremont. He's lost his love of the game because the math guys have taken over and he figures the game has passed him by.
He gets a call from Knish that Worm was tossed off a building by some gangsters and goes back to NY for the funeral. He finds out Worm left some money (like $50k) for him when Petra sees him at the funeral and hands him an envelope. She tells him Worm left explicit instructions to use the money to get even with the kid that felted him.
All the games he used to play in have dried up after the cops closed the underground card rooms. But Knish takes him to a room that KGB still runs in the Bronx. Tedy is on oxygen and can barely stand on his own. He runs mostly 2/5 and 5/10 games in his little 4 table basement. He asks KGB if he wants to play, for old times sake, but Tedy laughs into a coughing fit. "I cyant remember vhat I shit for brikfast Mikey. But you play Sergey if you hyate your munney."
After Mikey loses half his roll to Sergey, he does some soul searching at Worm's grave. He has an argument with Worm's "ghost". Worm says Mike's been a lot of things in his life but never a pussy. Mike yells that he's lost everything, money, house, wife, family. He's just trying to figure out how to live a normal happy life. Worm says that if that's true he'd be yelling at Petrovsky's ghost instead of him.
Just then Mike's phone rings. It's his son asking when he's coming home. At Newark airport, Mike's waiting for his plane and sees one of the guys from KGBs playing poker on his phone. They chat and he finds out the guys is on his way to the WSOP.
Mike shows up at the Horseshoe and buys into the heads up tourney. During the tourney all his old skills come back to him and he works his way through some other old timers and GTO guys, beats Sergey in the quarter finals and then he gets to the semis against the influencer guy that felted him years earlier.
After a long and dramatic battle he wins. Slow zoom on Mike as the reality sets in, "He had all the charts, matchups and ranges figured out. But he'd ultimately lost out of either hubris or boredom. But now I had the advantage, the drive to win. And when I have that, I can only get what I want. Now I want that fucking bracelet."
Roll credits
He gets a call from Knish that Worm was tossed off a building by some gangsters and goes back to NY for the funeral. He finds out Worm left some money (like $50k) for him when Petra sees him at the funeral and hands him an envelope. She tells him Worm left explicit instructions to use the money to get even with the kid that felted him.
All the games he used to play in have dried up after the cops closed the underground card rooms. But Knish takes him to a room that KGB still runs in the Bronx. Tedy is on oxygen and can barely stand on his own. He runs mostly 2/5 and 5/10 games in his little 4 table basement. He asks KGB if he wants to play, for old times sake, but Tedy laughs into a coughing fit. "I cyant remember vhat I shit for brikfast Mikey. But you play Sergey if you hyate your munney."
After Mikey loses half his roll to Sergey, he does some soul searching at Worm's grave. He has an argument with Worm's "ghost". Worm says Mike's been a lot of things in his life but never a pussy. Mike yells that he's lost everything, money, house, wife, family. He's just trying to figure out how to live a normal happy life. Worm says that if that's true he'd be yelling at Petrovsky's ghost instead of him.
Just then Mike's phone rings. It's his son asking when he's coming home. At Newark airport, Mike's waiting for his plane and sees one of the guys from KGBs playing poker on his phone. They chat and he finds out the guys is on his way to the WSOP.
Mike shows up at the Horseshoe and buys into the heads up tourney. During the tourney all his old skills come back to him and he works his way through some other old timers and GTO guys, beats Sergey in the quarter finals and then he gets to the semis against the influencer guy that felted him years earlier.
After a long and dramatic battle he wins. Slow zoom on Mike as the reality sets in, "He had all the charts, matchups and ranges figured out. But he'd ultimately lost out of either hubris or boredom. But now I had the advantage, the drive to win. And when I have that, I can only get what I want. Now I want that fucking bracelet."
Roll credits
drdr
Straight
Get the lights. No need to watch when released now.
AI generated synopsis:
Title: Rounders 2: Game Theory Revolution
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Logline:
Two decades after their initial poker exploits, Mike McDermott and his friends reunite to navigate the complex and evolving world of modern poker, where Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategies dominate. As they face new challenges and rivals, they must adapt to survive and prove they still have what it takes to be at the top of the poker world.
Act 1: The Reunion
Opening Scene:
We open with a montage of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) working in a high-profile legal job in New York City. He's well-dressed, confident, and clearly doing well for himself. However, there's an underlying sense of restlessness. He misses the thrill of poker.
Cut to:
Mike's old friend, Lester "Worm" Murphy (Edward Norton), who has recently been released from prison. He’s cleaned up his act but is struggling to find his place in the world. He reaches out to Mike, seeking help to get back on his feet. They meet in a bar, reminiscing about their old poker days. Worm suggests they get back into the game, but Mike is hesitant, aware of how much the game has changed.
Inciting Incident:
Mike gets a call from Joey Knish (John Turturro), who is still grinding out a living playing poker but now with a new focus on GTO strategies. Knish invites Mike to a high-stakes underground game in Atlantic City, claiming it’s where the best players in the world are now using advanced GTO methods. Mike is intrigued and decides to check it out.
Act 2: The New World of Poker
Introduction to Modern Poker:
Mike and Worm arrive at the underground poker game, where they are introduced to a new generation of poker pros who are deeply into GTO strategies. Among them is a new antagonist, a cold and calculating GTO master named Viktor “The Machine” Volkov, who uses algorithms and solvers to make every decision at the table. Volkov is the rising star in the poker world, feared by many.
The Learning Curve:
Mike and Worm realize that to compete in this new environment, they need to learn GTO strategies. They turn to Knish and an old acquaintance, Petra (Famke Janssen), who now runs a poker training site focusing on GTO. Mike dives deep into studying the mathematical and theoretical aspects of the game, while Worm struggles to adapt, relying on his old-school intuition and con artistry.
Subplot:
Worm, feeling left behind, tries to cheat his way through a few games but quickly realizes that the new generation of players is not as easy to fool. His actions put Mike and the group in danger of being blacklisted from the poker world.
Act 3: High Stakes and Higher Risks
The Big Tournament:
Mike enters a high-stakes tournament in Las Vegas, where the world’s top GTO players, including Volkov, are competing. The prize pool is enormous, and the pressure is high. Mike’s study and dedication to GTO begin to pay off, and he starts making deep runs in the tournament.
Worm’s Redemption:
Worm, after realizing the damage he’s caused, decides to fully commit to learning GTO. He studies day and night, determined to help Mike win the tournament. In a pivotal moment, Worm spots a critical mistake in Volkov’s play, allowing Mike to exploit it and gain the upper hand.
Final Showdown:
The final table of the tournament sees Mike facing off against Volkov. The tension is palpable as the two engage in a battle of wits, with Mike balancing GTO strategies with his intuitive reading of opponents. In the end, Mike makes a daring move, one that defies pure GTO logic but capitalizes on Volkov’s over-reliance on the theory.
Act 4: The Aftermath
Victory and Reflection:
Mike wins the tournament, solidifying his return to the poker world. However, he realizes that poker, like life, isn’t just about playing the perfect game—it’s about understanding people and taking calculated risks. Worm, now a reformed man, thanks Mike for giving him a second chance, and they part ways, both with a newfound respect for the game and each other.
Closing Scene:
Mike sits down at a poker table in a small, intimate game with Knish, Petra, and a few old friends. As they shuffle the cards, Mike reflects on how far the game has come, and how much he’s changed with it. The film ends with a close-up of Mike’s eyes, filled with determination, as he prepares for the next hand, knowing that the game, like life, always evolves.
Fade Out.
End Credits Song:
"Playing to Win" by Little River Band
Note: The sequel retains the original’s gritty and intense atmosphere, while introducing modern elements of poker strategy. It’s a story of adaptation, redemption, and the timeless nature of risk and reward.
Title: Rounders 2: Game Theory Revolution
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Logline:
Two decades after their initial poker exploits, Mike McDermott and his friends reunite to navigate the complex and evolving world of modern poker, where Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategies dominate. As they face new challenges and rivals, they must adapt to survive and prove they still have what it takes to be at the top of the poker world.
Act 1: The Reunion
Opening Scene:
We open with a montage of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) working in a high-profile legal job in New York City. He's well-dressed, confident, and clearly doing well for himself. However, there's an underlying sense of restlessness. He misses the thrill of poker.
Cut to:
Mike's old friend, Lester "Worm" Murphy (Edward Norton), who has recently been released from prison. He’s cleaned up his act but is struggling to find his place in the world. He reaches out to Mike, seeking help to get back on his feet. They meet in a bar, reminiscing about their old poker days. Worm suggests they get back into the game, but Mike is hesitant, aware of how much the game has changed.
Inciting Incident:
Mike gets a call from Joey Knish (John Turturro), who is still grinding out a living playing poker but now with a new focus on GTO strategies. Knish invites Mike to a high-stakes underground game in Atlantic City, claiming it’s where the best players in the world are now using advanced GTO methods. Mike is intrigued and decides to check it out.
Act 2: The New World of Poker
Introduction to Modern Poker:
Mike and Worm arrive at the underground poker game, where they are introduced to a new generation of poker pros who are deeply into GTO strategies. Among them is a new antagonist, a cold and calculating GTO master named Viktor “The Machine” Volkov, who uses algorithms and solvers to make every decision at the table. Volkov is the rising star in the poker world, feared by many.
The Learning Curve:
Mike and Worm realize that to compete in this new environment, they need to learn GTO strategies. They turn to Knish and an old acquaintance, Petra (Famke Janssen), who now runs a poker training site focusing on GTO. Mike dives deep into studying the mathematical and theoretical aspects of the game, while Worm struggles to adapt, relying on his old-school intuition and con artistry.
Subplot:
Worm, feeling left behind, tries to cheat his way through a few games but quickly realizes that the new generation of players is not as easy to fool. His actions put Mike and the group in danger of being blacklisted from the poker world.
Act 3: High Stakes and Higher Risks
The Big Tournament:
Mike enters a high-stakes tournament in Las Vegas, where the world’s top GTO players, including Volkov, are competing. The prize pool is enormous, and the pressure is high. Mike’s study and dedication to GTO begin to pay off, and he starts making deep runs in the tournament.
Worm’s Redemption:
Worm, after realizing the damage he’s caused, decides to fully commit to learning GTO. He studies day and night, determined to help Mike win the tournament. In a pivotal moment, Worm spots a critical mistake in Volkov’s play, allowing Mike to exploit it and gain the upper hand.
Final Showdown:
The final table of the tournament sees Mike facing off against Volkov. The tension is palpable as the two engage in a battle of wits, with Mike balancing GTO strategies with his intuitive reading of opponents. In the end, Mike makes a daring move, one that defies pure GTO logic but capitalizes on Volkov’s over-reliance on the theory.
Act 4: The Aftermath
Victory and Reflection:
Mike wins the tournament, solidifying his return to the poker world. However, he realizes that poker, like life, isn’t just about playing the perfect game—it’s about understanding people and taking calculated risks. Worm, now a reformed man, thanks Mike for giving him a second chance, and they part ways, both with a newfound respect for the game and each other.
Closing Scene:
Mike sits down at a poker table in a small, intimate game with Knish, Petra, and a few old friends. As they shuffle the cards, Mike reflects on how far the game has come, and how much he’s changed with it. The film ends with a close-up of Mike’s eyes, filled with determination, as he prepares for the next hand, knowing that the game, like life, always evolves.
Fade Out.
End Credits Song:
"Playing to Win" by Little River Band
Note: The sequel retains the original’s gritty and intense atmosphere, while introducing modern elements of poker strategy. It’s a story of adaptation, redemption, and the timeless nature of risk and reward.
I criticized the chatbot for not including any poker hands in the above script, and it added one:
Setting: Midway through the tournament, Mike is at a critical hand against Viktor Volkov. The blinds are $2,000/$4,000.
Setting: Midway through the tournament, Mike is at a critical hand against Viktor Volkov. The blinds are $2,000/$4,000.
- Pre-flop:
- Mike is dealt Q♦ Q♣. He raises to $12,000.
- Volkov, holding A♠ K♠, three-bets to $36,000.
- Mike, knowing Volkov’s aggressive GTO style, four-bets to $90,000.
- Volkov calls.
- Flop: 9♦ 7♣ 2♠
- Mike bets $60,000.
- Volkov calls, staying within GTO lines, not giving away the strength of his hand.
- Turn: 10♦
- Mike bets $100,000, trying to push Volkov out.
- Volkov, with a gutshot straight draw and two overcards, shoves all in, representing immense strength.
- River: 3♣
- Mike is faced with a massive decision. After a tense moment, he calls, trusting his read over pure GTO logic.
- Volkov turns over his cards, and Mike breathes a sigh of relief as his queens hold. This pot gives Mike a crucial chip lead in the tournament.
I wanna play this chatbot for $$. Gutshot straight draw, wtf??
But the best approach for a new movie premise is to simply add time travel (or aliens), which immediately generates at least two new films:
Rounders 2 -- Back to the Future
Poker Zombie
Royal Flush
I've watched Rounders plenty. Watching it with a different script would not make it bad, it would just make it different.
Over the least 20 years, Matt Damon has had a solid track record producing good to great movies. I don't think he would look at a Rounders 2 movie that was sub-par and put his money behind it. If MD makes Rounders 2, I'll watch it.
Molly's Game. Jessica Chastain
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I am in favor of it as long as we do not have to get Jo's backstory.
I have no interest in finding out what caused her to want to passively aggressively attempt to wring every last ounce of joy out of Mike's life.
I have no interest in finding out what caused her to want to passively aggressively attempt to wring every last ounce of joy out of Mike's life.
More like a Cleveland Steamer…
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