In 2010, Will Ferrell and co-writer/director Adam McKay, the duo who have subsequently brought their lunatic style to Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys pitched their sequel concept to Paramount.  The idea: to bring back the entire Anchorman cast for a straight-up musical that would first be a Broadway show with a run of several months, after which production on the film would get underway. 

Despite the first film having become an endlessly quoted pop cultural favorite and pretty much the entire cast having become comedy stars, Paramount passed. In an interview with IAR last year, Ferrell said of Paramount, "They've run the numbers and it's not a good fit." He also added, "They're being idiots."

Well it seems the idiocy has ceased, as Ferrell himself announced, in character as Burgundy, that the sequel will happen on Conan last night.  Earlier in the day, Conan O'Brien hinted via his twitter @ConanOBrien that Burgundy would be making "an incredible announcement."  Burgundy, a master of the jazz flute, didn't disappoint, treating the audience to a musical masterclass before "I actually have an announcement.  As of oh-nine-hundred Mountain Time, Paramount Pictures and myself, Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgundy, have come to terms on a sequel to Anchorman."

Perhaps because the way it was announced, the subsequent Funny or Die video, or the simple fact that the project seemed dead, some folks were naturally skeptical, but Adam McKay confirmed it, saying that production will begin next February.  Through his @GhostPanther Twitter handle, McKay said, "A few people questioning if Anchorman 2 is 100% for sure happening. Let me assure and assuage: it is. We're writing now and we shoot in Feb."

Furthermore, Deadline reports that with McKay and Ferrell producing through their Gary Sanchez banner, Judd Apatow will also return as a producer.  Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner are all set to return as Action 4 Newsteam members Brian Fantana, Brick Tamland, and Champ Kind.  Hopefully Christina Applegate will be back as Veronica Corningstone, as well.

Here's the video of Burgundy's earth-shattering announcement, thanks to Team Coco:

And here's the accompanying Funny or Die video in which Burgundy espouses the pleasures of a good hand-washing and questions his judgment:

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