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Director Robert Rodriguez has confirmed that he is in talks to make a sequel to his successful manga adaptation, Alita: Battle Angel.
The sci-fi action film, based on the cyberpunk manga series Battle Angel Alita by Yukito Kishiro, was a passion project of producer James Cameron, who had acquired the rights in the 1990s.
Despite being considered an underperformer at the box office, Alita: Battle Angel grossed over $400 million worldwide, making it Rodriguez’s highest-grossing film to date.
“We have been talking about it, so we would love to make one,” Rodriguez told GamesRadar+. While he acknowledged that production could still take some time, he confirmed that talks are ongoing. “We haven’t set it for sure yet,” he added.
Cameron and Jon Landau, who produced both the Avatar films and Alita: Battle Angel, have also been engaged in talks for a potential sequel, according to Rodriguez.
Lessons Learned from Avatar 2
After the success of Avatar: The Way of Water, the talks for a potential sequel for Alita intensified.
While promoting the Avatar sequel, co-producer Landau mused about the potential lessons an Alita sequel could learn from Avatar 2.
The first Avatar film technologically influenced Alita, and if another Alita movie were made, it could continue to build on those stepping stones, according to Landau.
He also confirmed talks with Rodriguez and star Rosa Salazar. Separately, co-star Christoph Waltz expressed his willingness to reprise his role as the father figure to the titular cyborg.
Fans of the Source Material and Genre
Although Alita: Battle Angel was not a critical darling, it was embraced by fans of the source material and the sci-fi action genre in general, with many of them campaigning for a sequel.
The film’s estimated budget of $200 million (not including marketing costs) meant that it was considered an underperformer, with analysts and distributor 20th Century Fox disagreeing on whether the film broke even or remained in the red.
However, the film’s success overseas and on streaming platforms like Hulu have kept hope alive for a sequel.
Uncertain Future for Alita
While Rodriguez and company are enthusiastic about the possibility of an Alita sequel, there is no confirmed release date or even a green light for production.
Cameron is currently working on the Avatar sequels, and his production company Lightstorm Entertainment has also signed a deal with Apple TV+ for a new sci-fi series.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez is working on several projects, including an animated Spy Kids reboot for Netflix.
Alita: Battle Angel is currently streaming on Hulu, providing an opportunity for fans to revisit the film and potentially generate even more interest for a sequel.
The potential sequel was supposed to be followed by Alita: Fallen Angel and Alita: Avenging Angel, but whether the series will stick to this naming convention is unknown.
One thing is for sure, though: the demand for more Alita adventures is still high among the film’s fan base.
