Warner Bros has faced some harsh realities at the box office and in the press in recent years, but after a few recent smash hits, the studio is full steam ahead once again. AsA Minecraft Moviepasses $500 million at the global box office, Warner Bros. chiefs have confirmed they’ll be ramping up production on sequels to several beloved franchises.
The Goonies, Beetlejuice, The MatrixandGremlinsare all among the properties getting fresh installments in the years to come, Warner Bros Pictures co-chairs Pam Abdy and Mike Delucahave confirmed to Deadline. Also receiving new installments in some form arePractical Magic, the 1998 witch drama starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, and the Whitney Houston-Kevin Costner romantic vehicleThe Bodyguard.
The Matrix 5
Following the White Rabbit
A new version ofThe Matrixshouldn’t be a surprise given the reputation and persisting popularity of the 1999 original, but Warner Bros’ fast-tracking of a sequel might surprise some after the tepid response to 2021’sThe Matrix Resurrections,whose financial disappointmentwas largely attributed to pandemic restrictions and its day-in-date HBO Max streaming release.
This update is the first we’ve heard about a potential fifthMatrixfilm since word first got out a year ago, whenThe Cabin in the Woodsdirector Drew Goddard was announced to be writing and directing the newest installment in April 2024.
Notable inThe Matrix Resurrectionswas just one half of the original trilogy’s directing team returning, Lana Wachowski, who will be on board the franchise’s fifth installment only as executive producer, making this the firstMatrixfilm not written or directed by one of the Wachowski siblings.The Matrix Resurrectionsis not shy about criticizing corporate entities using intellectual property without its creators' input or consent, and Lana said around its release that she only returned to direct the fourth film because Warner Bros threatened to do it without either sibling’s input otherwise.
Given the ending of the most recent film, it’s unclear whether a new installment would ‘reboot’ the simulation or respect the Wachowski’s timeline and follow on from the revamped version of the world introduced inResurrections. Recently, Laurence Fishburne revealed he was not asked to return as Morpheus in the film, with many viewers confused by the insistence on keeping the character’s death inMMO game The Matrix Online canon.
Beetlejuice 3
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice?
Last year, Tim Burton’s sequel to his 1984 classicBeetlejuicelanded to decent reviews, and its significant box office haul was evidently enough to inspire confidence from Warner Bros. that a third film in the trilogy was a sound investment.
It’s probably safe to assume Michael Keatonwill don the crumpled suit and face paint once again for the titular character, but it’s not yet known if Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O’Hara or any of the rest ofBeetlejuice, Beetlejuice’s juicy cast will be joining him.
It’s also unknown whether Burton will return to the directors chair, though his only confirmed upcoming project isWednesdayseason 2 with Jenna Ortega, which recently wrapped filming.
We can only hope that the film’s title follows through on the set up of the last two films in the series.
Goonies 2 & Gremlins 3
Legacy sequels to two ’80s hits
In the continued revival of eighties properties, two Steven Spielberg-produced films are among theslate receiving updated incarnations.The Goonieshas been long-rumored for a reboot or legacy sequel, with calls to re-visit the classic only increasing sinceKe-Huy Quan’s Oscar win forEverything Everywhere All at Oncein 2023. Cast members including Quan and Corey Feldman have been enthusiastic about the possibility of a second film, and Spielberg is expected to produce alongside Chris Columbus, writer of the 1985 original.
Joe Dante’s off-beat Christmas classicGremlinsis no stranger to follow-ups, receiving not only a massive unhinged sequel in 1990, as well as an animated prequel seriesGremlins: The Wild Batchon HBO Max, with a second season releasing just last year.
While Dante served as consulting producer on the animated series, he’s not so sure that he’d return for a potential third film.Speaking to The Hollywood Reporterlast year, he said “That’s up to the audience. The fact is that it’s too big a property for somebody not to make something… But it’s been difficult for people to wrap their heads around, ‘Exactly how are we going to do this?’".
A thirdGremlinsfilm has also attracted attention from a surprising actor, withBeetlejuice BeetlejuicestarJenna Ortega saying she’d love to get on boarda reboot of the beloved franchise. Warner Bros. Discovery have faced scrutiny since David Zaslav took the reins of the newly-merged corporation in 2022, immediately moving to cut costs by shelving several completed films such asCoyote Vs. Acmeand DC’sBatgirl.
With recent successes likeA Minecraft Movieand incoming anticipated hits likeSinnersandFinal Destination: Bloodlineshowever, Warner Bros isn’t just expanding on its existing properties but also revising some of its cuts-Coyote V. Acmewill release in theatres after all this year, and if it’s successful itmay not be the last of WB’s shelved films to make a return.
