By the time the sequel rolled around in late 1995, Carrey was no longer an underdog. He commanded a massive salary—reportedly $7 million for the sequel, a staggering sum at the time. This shift in status fundamentally changed the tone of the franchise. The first Ace Ventura was a detective who happened to be weird; the second film was a vehicle for a superstar, and the weirdness was dialed up to eleven.