Talk To Me Sequel In The Works As A24 Leans Into Their Second Horror Franchise
A24 is going all in on a new horror franchise as the studio is officially developing a sequel to this summer's sleeper hit "Talk to Me." Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the film hit theaters less than two weeks ago against rave reviews from the festival circuit earlier this year. Audiences responded kindly and the studio wasted zero time in giving the sequel the go-ahead.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the follow-up is aptly titled "Talk 2 Me." Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman are set to pen the screenplay, while the Philippou brothers will once again return to the director's chair. Plot details remain under wraps at this time. The first movie focuses on a group of friends who discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand. They become hooked on the new thrill of it all until one of them goes too far and unleashes malicious supernatural forces.
While it's early in the film's run at the box office, "Talk to Me" has already earned more than $24 million against a mere $4.5 million production budget. It over-performed on its opening weekend against heavy competition right in the dead of the summer movie season. It's been an impressive run so far and, clearly, A24 expects the film to continue to perform well in the coming weeks, particularly as it rolls out internationally.
A tremendous show of confidence
Danny and Michael Philippou's feature directorial debut ranks as one of the best-reviewed movies of the year, currently sitting at a stellar 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. More importantly, audiences have responded very kindly. As for what the sequel could explore, the duo recently revealed that they actually shot a prequel that is based on the film's opening scene. Whether or not that becomes part of the sequel — or something else altogether — remains to be seen.
This is A24's second true horror franchise following Ti West's "X" trilogy which also includes the prequel "Pearl" and the upcoming sequel "MaXXXine." All three movies star Mia Goth in the lead role. A24 has had its share of hits, such as recent Best Picture winner "Everything Everywhere All at Once," but horror has been particularly reliable for the studio. Other previous hits from A24 in the genre space include "Hereditary" and "The Witch."
No word yet on whether or not any cast members from the first film will return for the sequel, though that seems likely. Sophie Wilde headed up the ensemble, which also includes Joe Bird, Alexandra Jensen, Otis Dhanji, and Miranda Otto. We'll be sure to keep you posted as further details are made available.
"Talk 2 Me" does not currently have a release date.