It's been more than two years since we last heard about Wanted 2, the long-gestating sequel to Timur Bekmambetov's adaptation of Mark Millar's comic Wanted. The 2008 film, which was most notable for it's over-the-top style and casual disregard of physics, followed Wesley (James McAvoy), a timid and frustrated man stuck in a cubicle who discovers he's the progeny of a legendary hitman in league with a clan of superhuman assassins (Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Common, Konstantin Khabenskiy) called the Fraternity.
Back in 2013, McAvoy said that Universal was "doing the right thing" by waiting for the right story before moving forward with the sequel. According to Bekmambetov, that story is ready.
Yesterday, our contributor Elizaveta Chalenko spoke with the director about the prospect of Wanted 2, and he's definitely still up for it. Not only is he still interested in making the sequel, he's got a concept ready and some talent lined up. (Please note, the interview was conducted in Russian and translated by our reporter.)
For my part I already have the concept of the new story. I have all the screenwriters and co-producers on board. I’ve seen that some websites have even posted the posters of Wanted 2! I think there are a lot of people waiting for the second part of the story we’ve made in 2008.
Naturally, the final call lies with the studio and Bekmambetov is waiting for Universal to give the greenlight.
Unfortunately, Universal is still thinking about the possible dates of the pre-production start. I know that the movie should be released, but it’s all up to Universal to decide when is it going to happen. The studio is still deciding.
Perhaps most interesting, is the fact that his concept would see the return of major cast members who died in the ending of the original film. In case you forgot, the finale of Wanted saw Jolie's character Fox wiping out most of the Fraternity with a 360-degree curved bullet.
I would be so happy to work with James, Konstantin and Angelina again. This film has influenced my film career in the USA a lot. It means a great deal to me.
So what would that mean for the story of Wanted 2? It wouldn't make sense as a prequel since that wouldn't include McAvoy's character, so perhaps the film includes a number of flashbacks. In any case, if Bekmambetov wants to get the original cast back, this is going to be a tough one. Jolie has remained a megastar over the years and hasn't done a straight-up action movie since Salt in 2010. Meanwhile, McAvoy has shot up in popularity with his work on the X-Men films. Neither will be easy to secure for a sequel.
Bekmembatov remains confident that there's an audience for a second film, and it's certainly not unheard of for a sequel to come out so long after the original. Just last year, we saw sequels for Sin City (2005) and 300 (2006), though both were inferior to their predecessors. Wanted was an entertaining film, a sort of Adults Only cartoon come to life, and while many were put off by the outlandish gunplay and exaggerated style elements, the action sequences hold up and it stands as one of Jolie's best kickass performances. I'd certainly be interested in a sequel if it should ever come to fruition. What about you?
