Fans want to see Alita 2 and they’re not the only ones. Jon Landau, James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez are very keen, and we just have news about the project.
“There is this little film Alita: Battle Angel that we would like to return to to offer a sequel. I’ve discussed it with Robert, and hopefully it should happen. But I won’t give you a date, otherwise it might fall on me.” declared Jon Landau, producer of Lightstorm Entertainment, about Alita 2. A few months later, it was director James Cameron who restarted the machine with resounding declarations. Words followed by concrete actions?
Alita 2 still relevant? When is the release?
Alita: Battle Angel, the Gunnm live-action adaptation, was not a tidal wave, but all parties recovered their expenses. On the other hand, despite lukewarm reviews from the press, the film gained a certain notoriety among spectators. A craze that even surprised director Robert Rodriguez. He didn’t think that a whole group of people would make their voices heard for a sequel. But that’s how it is and some people absolutely want Alita 2. A desire completely shared by James Cameron, and producer Jon Landau, which even goes beyond a simple wish.
In Cameron’s head, it’s going to happen and he has already planned everything, including the resale of one of his homes to better manage the filming. “ For Avatar, I work in Wellington (editor’s note: in New Zealand) and in Los Angeles. And for the new Alita: Battle Angel films, I will be working in Austin, so it no longer made sense for us (editor’s note: to keep his huge ranch on the Gaviota coast in California”. Multiple Alita films? Yes, outlines for two additional films have already been written.
When is Alita 2 coming? In an interview, Jon Landau said discussions were still ongoing and said he was proud of the first feature film.
I’m very proud of this film, especially since we produced it at the same time as Avatar. I was on the set with Robert and we were excited. Jim (editor’s note: James Cameron), who was also involved, saw it. One night the movie came on HBO, Jim watched it and called me afterward. He said to me, “Jon, Battle Angel was on TV tonight, and I wanted to watch it. It’s a good film (laughs). I want to be able to do more things in this universe.”
Via ScreenRant.
Avatar 2 and James Cameron, two gooses that lay golden eggs for Disney
Mickey’s firm doesn’t seem to have given its approval yet, but how can you refuse something to James Cameron? And in particular with the triumphant success of Avatar 2? The film grossed more than $2.3 billion at the box office. A performance that puts the feature film in the top 3 of the biggest hits of all time with Avengers Endgame and… the first Avatar! But there is even more improbable. In 2023 alone, the new Na’Vi adventure has grossed more than $283 million in the United States than any other Disney production.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, The Marvels, Wish, The Haunted Mansion, The Creator or Indiana Jones 5. None compare and can boast of having raised so much money. And therefore, the observation is identical if we take the global box office. The films cited will not even exceed a billion. Under these conditions, James Cameron seems to have won a totem of immunity. A shield he could pull out in front of Denis Brogniart Disney boss Bob Iger to free up budget for new Alita films.
But when will Alita 2 & 3 be released? We are going to press the brake pedal because James Cameron and Jon Landau are already overloaded with work with Avatar 3 to 5. The latter will be released in December 2025, December 2029 and December 2031 respectively. Obviously, as with the first Gunnm film, production could take place in parallel, especially if Rodriguez returns behind the camera. But we might as well not get carried away even if, yes, it smells good and the success of the big blue men will weigh in the final decision. Let’s hope Iger isn’t as trivial as he was during the actors’ and writers’ strike negotiations.