While Entourage isn’t returning for another reunion, fans are getting the next best thing. The show’s creator, Doug Ellin, is reuniting with stars Kevin Connolly and Kevin Dillon for a new series. Entourage debuted on HBO in 2004 and was loosely inspired by the life of Mark Wahlberg, as the series focused on fictional movie star Vincent Chase (Adrien Grenier) and his childhood friend-turned-manager, Eric “E” Murphy (Connolly). They’re joined in the show by Vincent’s half-brother Johnny “Drama” Chase (Dillon), his childhood friend and personal driver Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), and his loud, foul-mouthed agent, Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). The series was a big hit for HBO, earning multiple Emmy wins over its eight-season run and returning for a 2015 film that did poorly at the box office with critics.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Ellin, Connolly, and Dillon are reuniting for a new series, Ramble On, that will follow Kevin Connolly playing a fictionalized version of himself who wants to produce a new hit podcast. An unreleased trailer showed Connolly meeting with Charlie Sheen, also playing a fictionalized version of himself, where he tells Sheen. “This could be an amazing opportunity for both of us. It could be your get-out-of-jail-free card.” This appears to be a big creative inspiration for Ramble On, as Doug Ellin described the series as a show about second chances and redemption.
The trailer for the episode is a proof-of-concept, with Ellin looking to find a buyer for the show. He’s been trying to get it off the ground for years, in fact, with the last big update coming in 2022 when it was reported that Charlie Sheen had signed on.
‘Entourage’ is a Very Different Show in 2024 Than in 2004.
Entourage has seen a boom in popularity, thanks in part to Doug Ellin, Kevin Connolly, and Kevin Dillon reuniting for Victory the Podcast, which recapped episodes of the series and featured many guest stars from the show. The podcast abruptly ended, and many fans assumed Dillon had a falling out with Ellin and Connolly, as he went to host his own podcast, Is That Something You Might Be Interested In, while Connolly and Ellin returned for a Victory episode without Dillon, although it appears they are all still looking to work together. This has renewed interest in Entourage and seemingly gave the creative team motivation to attempt a new series that shares Entourage’s DNA but doesn’t revisit the same characters.
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While Entourage was a hit at the time, many of the show’s elements certainly did not age well, particularly after #MeToo. The series and the feature film feature plenty of cameos from extremely cancelled celebrities, including but not limited to Danny Masterson and Paul Haggis, which can make Entourage uncomfortable to watch. The show also featured plenty of frank discussions between male friends about women and sex that for years might have been labeled as “boys being boys” (or “locker room talk”), which has rightfully been called out as being misogynistic and inappropriate. Doug Ellin has previously accused HBO of trying to bury the series on their streaming service, seemingly blaming a “wave of PC culture.” Ellin said at the time:
“I resent it tremendously because I don’t think Entourage was this vulgar boyfest that people like to paint it as now. When we came out, The New York Times said we were the smartest show on television. And then, all of a sudden, [in came] this wave of righteous PC culture – and again, you’re talking to a liberal who wants equality for all and wants everybody to be kinder and gentler.”
With Ramble On featuring the so-called “canceled” Charlie Sheen, it’s obvious that Ellin has no plans to go “woke” with his new show. Along with Sheen, stars Kevin Connolly and Kevin Dillon have various degrees of abuse allegations leveled at all of them. This might be one reason why Ramble On is about redemption and second chances: the various individuals involved likely want a second chance at a career. Watch this space for updates.
Release Date
July 18, 2004
Cast
Kevin Connolly
, Adrian Grenier
, Kevin Dillon
, Jerry Ferrara
, Jeremy Piven
, Debi Mazar
, Perrey Reeves
, Rex Lee
, Rhys Coiro
, Gary Cole
, Emmanuelle Chriqui
, Scott Caan
Seasons
8
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