The Maze Runner sprinted to a successful opening at the box office this weekend, and now 20th Century Fox is moving forward on the sequel, The Scorch Trials, which will be released on September 18, 2015.  The sequel was already in pre-production since director Wes Ball showed off some concept art at The Maze Runner’s Comic-Con panel this past July.  Additionally, work on the sequel script began almost a year ago.  For studios, the most important element to YA franchises is speed, and as long as the debut is a success, the sequel is already loaded and ready to go.  We saw it with Divergent and Insurgent earlier this year.  On the flipside, don’t expect to see a sequel to The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones anytime ever.

Hit the jump to check out The Scorch Trials concept art along with a synopsis for James Dashner’s novel of the same name.  [Spoiler Warning: The concept art basically gives away the ending of The Maze Runner.]

scorch-trials-concept-art

Here's the synopsis for James Dashner's The Scorch Trials:

Read the second book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. The first book, The Maze Runner, is now a major motion picture featuring the star of MTV's Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster! Also look for James Dashner’s newest novels, The Eye of Minds and The Rule of Thoughts, the first two books in the Mortality Doctrine series.

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive. [Amazon]

 

The Scorch Trials release date