Kelsey Grammer's Tom standing resolutely next to Rob Schneider's Pascal looking up towards him in Down Periscope
Kelsey Grammer has a variety of roles in his past he could revisit, but one near the top of his list is a potential Down Periscope sequel. The six-time Emmy winner led the cast of the 1996 military comedy as Navy Lieutenant Commander Tom Dodge who, finding his career under threat and dreams of being the captain of a submarine at risk, is tasked with restoring a rusty World War II-era submarine for a war game with a ragtag crew.
With an ensemble cast that also includes future NCIS alum Lauren Holly, two-time Oscar nominee Bruce Dern, Oscar nominee William H. Macy and comedian Rob Schneider, among many others, Down Periscope failed to make any major splash upon its March 1996 release. Critics were quite sharp in their reviews, awarding it a dismal 11% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while a tepid response from audiences saw it only bring in $37.5 million against its $31 million production budget. However, in an interview with ScreenRant's Ash Crossan for his new film Turbulence, Grammer shared he was ready to set sail once again for a Down Periscope sequel. When asked about roles he'd like to revisit, the Emmy winner first pointed to that of Tom Kane from Starz's Boss, though shared that"there are too many legacy producers to have it make financial sense": I am not really sure, but I'd love to revisit him. He was amazing, and to give him his departure would be great. Some things got funny with the production of that show, and we just never concluded it. And it would've been the right thing for the character and for the piece. Grammer then went on to cite Down Periscope as"the other one I'd like to do" again. Acknowledging that his character of Tom Dodge is"not exactly Maverick" and"not exactly Tom Cruise," the star expressed that he's"a guy who likes being under the surface" and, with the modern world still being afraid of nuclear attack,"he knows what to do." Grammer even teased, "I have an idea about" how what a sequel would look like, which he feels"might be really fun." The comparison of Down Periscope's Tom Dodge to Top Gun's Pete Maverick may be accurate for the branch of military both films tackle, but definitely doesn't work in favor of Grammer's hopes to make a sequel to the former. For starters, the 1996 comedy barely made its budget back at the international box office, a stark contrast to the 1986 action favorite being the highest-grossing film of its year. Even just looking at the stars themselves, Top Gun memorably helped affirm Cruise's rising movie star status after his Golden Globe-nominated breakout turn in Risky Business. For Grammer, on the other hand, Down Periscope served as his first major film amid his success with Cheers and Frasier on the small screen, and would be one of many movies to be met with derision from critics. Arguably the other major factor working against Grammer's hope for a Down Periscope sequel is it having been made by 20th Century Fox. In the wake of Disney buying out the studio, their output has notably shifted away from distributing as many comedies as they once did, focusing on more blockbuster and genre fare, including the revived Predator and Alien franchises, the ongoing Avatar series and The First Omen, among others. Get sequel scoop — subscribe to our newsletter Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth coverage of sequel developments, studio choices, casting shifts, and nostalgia-driven revivals — the context that explains whether legacy films like Down Periscope could come back. Subscribe Get sequel scoop — subscribe to our newsletter Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth coverage of sequel developments, studio choices, casting shifts, and nostalgia-driven revivals — the context that explains whether legacy films like Down Periscope could come back. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. This isn't to say they've entirely stopped getting behind comedies, and they've even had a few hits since. The John Cena and Lil Rel Howery-starring Vacation Friends became Hulu's most-watched original film in its opening weekend at the time, leading to the greenlight of a sequel, while the Awkwafina and Sandra Oh-led Quiz Lady won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding TV movie. With the right pitch, Grammer could find a way to win 20th Century Studios over on a streaming sequel to Down Periscope. The other major factor that might work in Grammer's favor for a Down Periscope sequel to come to life are the multiple comedy legacy sequels that found success in 2025. From Freakier Friday riding its nostalgia to a solid $153.2 million haul to Liam Neeson's Naked Gun surviving over a decade of development hell to become tied for the best-reviewed installment in the franchise, Grammer's 1996 film having just enough of a cult following could prove that, with a team looking to improve on the original without dismissing it, a follow-up would be a sneaky hit. Down Periscope 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed PG-13 Comedy Release Date March 1, 1996 Runtime 92 minutes Director David S. Ward Writers Andrew Kurtzman, Eliot Wald Producers Jack Cummins Cast See All Genres Comedy Powered by Expand Collapse
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