Second Time Around

Critics liked it, but American moviegoers were less excited. So why did producer Dodi Fayed make a sequel to his 1986 thriller “F/X”?

Fayed points to “F/X’s” worldwide box-office tally: $55 million ($27 million from North America)--a solid figure for a film shot for $10 million.

“F/X II,” now in post-production for Orion Pictures, cost about $16 million. Set for March release, it again re-teams Bryan Brown as a movie special-effects man and Brian Dennehy as a tough cop.

Fayed admits that he’d have preferred to have the sequel come out much closer to the original. But: “It has a big following. Brown and Dennehy say that for the past few years they’re always asked (in interviews) about the sequel.”

The promo campaign, adds Fayed, will “remind audiences of the first film.”

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Meanwhile, Fayed is involved in the two Peter Pan projects, “Hook” and “Peter Pan.” He had held “Peter Pan” rights since 1985 when he heard that Tri-Star Pictures was talking “Hook” with filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Consequently, Fayed is now executive producer of the Spielberg film, which stars Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook and Robin Williams as a grown-up Peter Pan.

Fayed hopes to begin production on a more traditional “Peter Pan” in the fall, also for Tri-Star, though no director or stars are yet attached.