'The Purge' Sequel Announced Despite Average Reviews
"The Purge" sequel is in the works after the first film made a substantial profit at the box office this weekend, knocking "Fast and Furious 6" from the no. 1 spot and beating out "The Internship" with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. News of the sequel was released Monday night through producer Jason Blum's Twitter account.
"The Purge 2 is in development @UniversalHorror #ThePurge," Blum posted to the social media site.
While "The Purge" sequel surprised some after the film's average reviews, the bottom line— money— seems to be the motivation for commissioning one so quickly. "The Purge" was filmed for a budget of only $3 million and raked in $34.1 million its first weekend.
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Furthermore, executives may be able to spend even less on filming, producing and distributing the sequel than the first time: "The Purge 2" will most likely be approved for a $2.25 million tax credit from the state of California, according to Variety. If Universal, who distributed the film, managed to shoot everything in California by the end of the year, they could potentially get their money back.
It has not yet been announced if James DeMonaco, who wrote and directed the first film, will be returning, especially when "The Purge" only received a 41 percent from critics on RottenTomatoes.com.
"The Purge" featured Ethan Hawke and Lena Headley as the mother and father in a family trying to stay alive during the 12-hour period when crime is legal. When one child lets a stranger into the house, the horror film takes a turn for the scary as the family fights for their lives.
Many fans of "The Purge" are waiting eagerly for details on the sequel and even suggesting some of their own. One idea could be a prequel, as the movie never really explained how the purge came to be; another could visit a different family's perspective with the horrifying 12-hour survival experience; they could also change the viewpoint altogether, focusing on the murderous criminals instead of the scared potential victims.
No casting or plot announcements have been currently made regarding the sequel.
