Upcoming Action Sequels You Didn't Know Were In The Works
The action movie sequel is an institution unto itself in the film business and has become especially ubiquitous in recent years, with the seemingly boundless franchise-ification that the industry has undergone in the 21st century. In fact, almost every action film that makes a buck these days is all but guaranteed to get a follow-up, as demonstrated by the positively gargantuan number of action movie sequels currently being developed, filmed, or finalized around Tinseltown.
You have probably heard about some of these upcoming action flick follow-ups. For example, it's no secret that Tom Cruise is once again reprising the role of Ethan Hunt for another installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, which will be the daredevil actor's eighth outing as the character on the big screen. However, there are numerous action movie sequels in development right now that even fans of the original films may be unaware of, so we've compiled a list of them.
The Tomorrow War 2
Director Chris McKay has stayed busy over the past few years. After breaking out as a feature filmmaker with "The Lego Batman Movie" in 2017, he jumped to live-action film for the 2021 Prime Video actioner "The Tomorrow War" and then helmed 2023's "Renfield," employing practical filmmaking that star Awkwafina found refreshing. Now, he may or may not be returning to the director's chair for "The Tomorrow War 2," which he recently confirmed to be in development.
When asked about a sequel by Uproxx in April 2023, McKay stated that "there is a script coming for that," which makes a lot of sense. Originally slated for a theatrical release through Paramount, "The Tomorrow War" was ultimately bought and distributed by Prime Video as a consequence of the pandemic, but that didn't stop the Chris Pratt vehicle from becoming a hit. No plot, casting, scheduling, or distribution details have been unveiled about the sequel.
Riddick: Furya
Deadline has confirmed that a fourth "Riddick" movie is on the way, and it's happening sooner than you might think. "The Chronicles of Riddick" franchise began in 2000 with "Pitch Black," then continued with 2004's "The Chronicles of Riddick" and 2013's "Riddick." Now, more than a decade later, "Riddick: Furya" is about to begin production.
With David Twohy once again handling writing and directing duties, the film will follow Richard B. Riddick's (Vin Diesel) return to his home planet — the eponymous Furya, of which Riddick has little memory. There, he finds that the people of Furya are embroiled in a struggle against a monster that once again threatens life on the planet, and, per the official synopsis, learns that "some of these Furyans are more like Riddick than he could have ever imagined." The international shoot (production is taking place in Spain, Germany, and the U.K.) will begin on August 26, 2024.
Violent Night 2
The David Harbour-starring 2022 flick "Violent Night" was the biggest Christmas actioner since "Die Hard" — and maybe the biggest ever to star Santa Claus himself. A sequel began to be discussed not long after the film's release. As per producers Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, a follow-up is indeed happening, with pre-production going swimmingly so far; Universal is reportedly optimistic about the potential for a full-fledged franchise.
The pair spoke with Collider at SXSW 2024 and revealed that there's a lot of behind-the-scenes enthusiasm for the "Violent Night" sequel — including from David Harbour himself, who is eager to return to the role of Santa. Although the schedules of the various parties involved have been difficult to coordinate, McCormick revealed that several drafts of the screenplay have already been written, and also stated that there's a possibility "Violent Night 2" could start filming as soon as the beginning of 2025.
Rush Hour 4
A fourth "Rush Hour" installment has been teased again and again in the entertainment press for years now. More recently, fan excitement for "Rush Hour 4" has been ramped up by encouraging updates from Chris Tucker, who confirmed the project's existence in 2018. Jackie Chan, who revealed in 2017 that a script he approved of had finally been completed, said in 2022 that the "Rush Hour 4" script was still being discussed. Then, in 2023, Tucker once again stated that "Rush Hour 4" was among his intended upcoming projects.
No official announcements have yet been made by Warner Bros. regarding the fourth "Rush Hour" film. With the studio having long since cut ties with Brett Ratner following sexual misconduct accusations, it's unlikely that he'd be returning to the director's chair. But development has definitely been happening for years now, and both Tucker and Chan seem excited about it.
Red Notice 2
"Red Notice" shattered a stunning Netflix record by scoring the biggest opening day ever for one of the streamer's originals in 2021, which led to two sequels being greenlit. As Netflix Head of Film Scott Stuber revealed to Collider in November 2023, one of those sequels is currently well into the development process. At the time of the interview with Stuber, a final draft of the screenplay for "Red Notice 2" was said to be near completion.
Netflix has been in no hurry to make up for time lost to the Hollywood strikes when it comes to the film's development, and doesn't seem to be rushing the scripting process along; Stuber said that he was shooting for a late 2024 production start. With the script nearly finalized and ready to go, production on the long-awaited sequel to the action comedy film should be starting sooner rather than later. Stuber didn't give an update on "Red Notice 3," despite Deadline reporting that the two sequels would be shot back-to-back.
Gunpowder Milkshake 2
A sequel to "Gunpowder Milkshake" was announced before the film had even hit cinemas by way of a special presentation from distributor StudioCanal at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Although not a lot of "Gunpowder Milkshake 2" development details have come out since then, we can assume that the sequel is, indeed, being worked on, as neither StudioCanal nor Netflix have announced anything to the contrary.
Given that the first "Gunpowder Milkshake" was released directly to Netflix along with a limited theatrical release in the United States and Canada in 2021, we don't know much about the film's financial metrics and whether or not it became profitable — but we do know that it topped U.S. Nielsen ratings for its release week, so it's entirely possible that it made enough bank to prompt a sequel. Still, no production, plot, or cast details about "Gunpowder Milkshake 2" have been unveiled yet.
Attack the Block 2
At the same 2021 Cannes presentation in honor of StudioCanal's 30th anniversary that saw the announcement of "Gunpowder Milkshake 2," further details were also unveiled on the previously-announced sequel to 2011's "Attack the Block." The British cult favorite action-comedy-sci-fi-horror romp about alien creatures invading a council estate in South London will be followed up by another installment from writer-director Joe Cornish, in his first film since 2019's "The Kid Who Would Be King."
Cornish, Nira Park, and Edgar Wright will be producing through Complete Fiction Pictures, the production company they launched together in 2018, and John Boyega — who had his breakthrough in the first film, and will once again be headlining the cast — is also signing on as a producer through his UpperRoom Productions. In a statement published by The Hollywood Reporter at the time, Boyega said, "Moses has remained one of my favourite characters to play and bringing him back is a huge honour." Cornish, meanwhile, has stated that he wants "Attack the Block 2" to live up to iconic sci-fi sequels like "Aliens" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."
Top Gun 3
Paramount Pictures announced in January 2024 that a sequel to "Top Gun: Maverick" would be happening — a major turn of events for a franchise that had a 36-year gap between the first two installments, but not exactly a surprising one, given that "Maverick" took breaking the box office to a whole new level, ultimately becoming one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer gave an update on the sequel during an interview with Screen Rant in March 2024, stating that "Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski came up with a story idea to Tom Cruise's liking and was presently developing it into a screenplay. We don't yet know what that story idea is, but Cruise, Glen Powell, and Miles Teller are all expected to return. Per Bruckheimer, now it's all a matter of whether Cruise will approve of Kosinski's script and find time in his busy schedule to work on a third "Top Gun" film — which might take some time, considering he's already got a few projects lined up.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2
Very few people expected a "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie to somehow find a way to be fresh, exciting, visually stunning, and — most of all — actually good in 2023, but Jeff Rowe's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" pulled it off by turning to the medium of animation. The film became a critical and box office success, and a sequel was soon confirmed by Paramount, with a release date already set: Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael will return on October 9, 2026.
Rowe is expected to return as director along with the main voice actors Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, and Ayo Edebiri. The next movie will tell the Ninja Turtles' darkest story, focusing on their stand-off against Shredder, the central villain of all "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" lore. Shredder's arrival was teased at the end of the first film, and Rowe is excited about what that means for the Turtles. "It'll be really interesting to see these fun-loving characters go up against something that maybe they can't stop," he told Empire.
The Gray Man 2
A sequel to Netflix's "The Gray Man," an action thriller starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas, is currently in the pipeline. The film is arguably the most successful of the various projects released by Anthony and Joe Russo following their world takeover with the one-two punch of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." It became one of the most-watched Netflix movies of all time following its release in 2022, clocking close to 250 million watch hours in its first 28 days on the streamer.
Little information on the sequel has been disclosed, but we do know that development is going strong thanks to an interview given by the Russos to Total Film in April 2024. During the interview, Joe Russo explained that the film is still finding its footing story-wise. "We're developing concepts we think are the right direction to take the character [of Courtland Gentry] in and so, we are working on that at the moment," the filmmaker said.
Extraction 3
The "Extraction" films star Chris Hemsworth as Tyler Rake, a former Australian SASR operator who now works as a black-ops mercenary. The first film became Netflix's most watched movie ever when it dropped on the streamer in 2020, with 99 million views in its first month. While not quite as popular, 2023's "Extraction 2" still did big numbers for Netflix, so it's no surprise that another sequel is on the way. We've known since 2023 that a third "Extraction" is in development, as director Sam Hargrave and star Chris Hemsworth announced it at Netflix's Tudum global event in June of that year.
Since then, all signs have pointed to the pre-production process moving smoothly, from Netflix Head of Film Scott Stuber teasing Idris Elba's return and emphasizing that the third installment is being developed carefully in order to live up to the first two, to writer-producer Joe Russo waxing poetic on the themes of the upcoming film. In May 2024, Chris Hemsworth told Collider that they were "in the middle of sort of writing, prepping, getting it ready," but no production schedule has been set yet.
Nobody 2
A sequel to "Nobody," the unexpected 2021 hit starring Bob Odenkirk as a mild-mannered family man who gets thrust back into his violent past, is closer to coming to fruition than ever. As reported by Collider, "Nobody 2" is set to start shooting from August to October 2024, once again starring Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell and Connie Nielsen as his wife Becca Mansell. Like the first film, it will be shot in Winnipeg, Canada.
This time around, original helmer Ilya Naishuller will not be in the hot seat; a director is still being scouted for the new film, which is also currently rounding out the cast. That means producers will have to act quickly if they're to meet their planned shooting schedule. Even if they don't manage to meet those time goals, anyone who liked "Nobody" will most likely agree that, as long as Odenkirk is back, things will probably be fine.
Face/Off 2
A sequel to 1997's "Face/Off" was announced in 2022, with Adam Wingard at the helm and Simon Barrett handling writing duties. Wingard went on to play coy about the project's concrete prospects, stating that it could only actually happen if both Nicolas Cage and John Travolta were to sign on, a possibility which had not yet been officially floated until recently. In April 2024, it was reported by Daniel Richtman that Cage and Travolta will indeed be coming back for "Face/Off 2."
This is, of course, likely to force many fans into a re-interpretation of the ending of "Face/Off," which seemingly killed off Cage's Castor Troy rather decisively; Simon Barrett has stated that he never believed Troy's death was for real, due to his body not actually being covered up as he's being loaded into the ambulance. In other words, It would seem that Barrett has found a solution of his own to the conundrum of how to bring Troy back.
Cliffhanger 2
1993's "Cliffhanger" is among the most financially successful films of Sylvester Stallone's career, and plans for a sequel were being made as early as 1994. That second installment (which would have seen Sly locking horns with terrorists at the Hoover Dam) never materialized, with various writers and directors walking through the revolving doors over the decades. Finally, in May 2023, the project got a fresh start as a legacy sequel. Director Ric Roman Waugh replaced Ana Lily Amirpour, who had been slated to helm a female-fronted reboot.
Later, in December 2023, Screen Daily reported that Waugh himself had been replaced by French filmmaker Jean-François Richet — but the film itself is still very much happening, and quite soon, with a planned summer 2024 shoot. The project will be a co-production between the U.S., the U.K., and Germany, and Stallone is set to star again as rescue ranger Gabriel "Gabe" Walker, now running a mountain lodge in the Dolomites. The screenplay has been penned by Mark Bianculli ("The Good Neighbor").
Heat 2
Michael Mann is currently working on a follow-up to his hit film "Heat," an action-packed crime thriller starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer. The new movie will revisit the mythology of the 1995 classic in a rather unorthodox way. In the tradition of notable, similarly-themed second installments like "The Godfather Part II," "Heat 2" will act as both a prequel and a sequel — and even a sidequel, flashing back and forth in time across the "Heat" timeline.
Mann himself revealed this narrative approach to Variety's Awards Circuit podcast in January 2024, adding that the new film is intended for a 2024 shoot. As for casting, nothing has been confirmed at the time of this writing, but GQ has reported that Adam Driver, Ana de Armas, Austin Butler, and "The Bear" star Jeremy Allen White are among the actors rumored to potentially be involved with the sequel-slash-prequel.
The Old Guard 2
A sequel to Netflix's action-heavy superhero flick "The Old Guard" (which ended on a massive sequel-launching cliffhanger involving Veronica Ngo's character Quynh) has already been filmed, but we're yet to get a release date. Actor Matthias Schoenaerts (who plays Sebastian Le Livre) revealed to Collider in February 2024 that delay may be due to the changes in Netflix management, with Greg Peters having taken over from Reed Hastings as co-CEO alongside Ted Sarandos.
"We shot it approximately a year and a half ago, and I think they're hitting the last stage of post-production," Schoenaerts said. "As far as I've understood, I think there's been a switch at Netflix high up. I think there's a different CEO, so that leads to a reconsidering of release, and how and when, and that's not up to me." Still, filming is done, and "The Old Guard 2" will come out at some point. Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne are among the stars reprising their roles, and they're joined by Uma Thurman and Henry Golding.
21 Jump Street spin-off
There was already a "21 Jump Street" spin-off in 1989: "Booker," a short-lived Fox series centered on recurring character Dennis Booker (Richard Grieco) from the original "21 Jump Street" show. A new spin-off is reportedly happening in the movie world, with Brie Larson stepping up to lead a film built around Molly Tracey, her character from 2012's "21 Jump Street" starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. Development of the spin-off film was reported by Daniel Richtman in July 2023, but no details have yet been disclosed about what narrative direction the new movie will take.
Molly was a high school student with no affiliations to law enforcement in the 2012 film, and she went unmentioned in 2014's "22 Jump Street." Should the project indeed move forward, it will be the second attempt at a female-centric take on the "Jump Street" film franchise: News of a Tiffany Haddish and Awkwafina-starring reboot directed by Rodney Rothman broke in 2018, with a script by the Molyneux sisters completed by 2020, but it never materialized.