There Are 'Conversations Happening' About A Malignant Sequel
Hollywood essentially gave horror maestro James Wan a blank check after the success of his "Conjuring" movies, the "Insidious" films, the action-packed "Furious 7," and the billion-dollar behemoth that was "Aquaman." Wan decided to cash that check in a highly entertaining way with this year's "Malignant," a bug-nuts horror/camp classic which lured audiences into a false sense of security with its even-keel storytelling in its first half, only to completely flip the script in its back half with a twist that caused viewers to lose their minds.
Here's some news that might make you so excited that you'll want to brawl with an entire jail cell full of 1970s movie cliches: conversations are being had about "Malignant 2." But be warned, dear reader: in order to talk about this in a reasonable manner, there will be spoilers ahead for the first film. Proceed at your own peril.
What Could Malignant 2 Be About?
In an interview with ScreenRant, "Malignant" star Annabelle Wallis was asked if she had been a part of any conversations about a possible "Malignant 2," she said things were heating up behind the scenes.
"We have. There's plenty of ideas swirling around. We were very, very flattered by the reception and I think taken aback by the reception. So yeah, there's lots of conversations happening."
The big revelation in the original movie is that Wallis's character Madison/Emily shares a body with a murderous entity known as Gabriel, who tried to kill Madison's sibling when she was young and has lain dormant in her mind for years after Madison had a surgery that supposedly suppressed him. Decades later, Gabriel manifests as a Kuato-esque figure who emerges from the back of Madison's head, trapping her in a corner of their shared mind and utilizing her backwards body to go on a killing spree. The film ends with Madison finally regaining the upper hand and learning how to use Gabriel's mental tricks against him, locking him away in a psychic prison as this exchange plays out:
"It's over, Gabriel. I'm taking it all back. My mind, my body, my everything. Now, you get to live in a world that I create."
"You can't lock me in here forever. You'll always be stuck with me. Sooner or later I will get out."
"I know, but next time I'll be ready for you."
The first film is already being viewed as a modern cult classic in horror circles, and when you combine the film's strong reception with its own promise of a sequel, I'm not surprised to hear that conversations are being had about bringing Maddie/Emily and Gabriel back for round 2. Maybe the second movie can further explore Gabriel's ability to manipulate electricity, since that was barely touched on in the first film. Keep in mind, though, that conversations about future projects happen every day in Hollywood, and although a "Malignant 2" feels like a sure-fire thing, it's not official...yet.