Edge Of Tomorrow 2 May Live, Die And Repeat As Part Of Tom Cruise's New WB Deal
After nearly a decade, it seems "Edge of Tomorrow 2" finally has a real shot at coming to fruition. Don't get too excited just yet, but Warner Bros., the studio behind the 2014 sci-fi blockbuster, recently locked down a deal with Tom Cruise, who starred in the film. The actor is now set to develop, produce, and star in projects for the studio. And wouldn't you know it, the sequel in question is on WB's wishlist.
The Hollywood Reporter recently broke down the blockbuster deal between Warner Bros. and Cruise. The outlet's article states that the studio's heads of film Michael DeLuca and Pam Abdy are eager to see Cruise return to the role of William Cage, noting, "DeLuca and Abdy have also hoped to lure Cruise back for a follow-up to the 2014 film 'Edge of Tomorrow.'" The article goes on to explain that the project was already being developed by WB before the deal with Cruise was announced. It's just that the deal assures that Cruise will make the sequel a priority — or so WB hopes.
It is certainly worth pointing out that Cruise, his co-star Emily Blunt, and their "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman have talked a great deal about a possible sequel over the years. Nothing has materialized, though, and there are good reasons for that. Chiefly, the first film was not an outright commercial success, taking in just $370 million worldwide against a very big $175 million budget. But word of mouth was stellar and the film has gone on to find a huge audience in the years since it originally hit theaters. There's reason to believe that the audience for a follow-up would be sizable.
Making Edge of Tomorrow 2 is no easy task
There are, however, quite a few hurdles that need to be cleared in order for this to become a reality. For one, Cruise is one of the most in-demand stars in the world and his dance card is full. He's currently committed to finishing "Mission: Impossible 8," which isn't set to hit theaters until 2025. So he's busy for the next year and a half, give or take. Blunt is also an A-list, in-demand star who keeps busy, while Liman is separately a busy man with his various projects. All of their schedules would need to be cleared and lined up. Not impossible, but not easy.
Reports previously surfaced that an "Edge of Tomorrow" TV show was in development, which only came to light because Warner Bros. was locked in a legal battle with Village Roadshow (a producing partner on the film). So, the proposed series would need to be scrapped, and those two sides would have to come to an arrangement. There's also the title issue; "Live, Die, Repeat" was used a lot in the original marketing, leading to some confusion. On top of all that, there's the budget, which would certainly be big, but not so big that it would prevent the movie from having any chance of making a profit. After all, making a sequel more than 10 years after the fact to a movie that wasn't exactly a big money-maker in the first place is risky.
Still, audiences love "Edge of Tomorrow," Cruise is the biggest star in the world, and Warner Bros. is desperate for franchises. With Cruise and WB now under the same roof, it feels more plausible than ever that this movie will become a reality. For the time being, there is hope that more time loop shenanigans involving mech suits and deadly aliens are on the horizon.