Oh yeah, remember that “Wanted” sequel you uh, wanted? It’s still happening. Talk about a follow-up to the hit didn’t take all that long to get going with notorious shit talker Mark Millar claiming at Comic-Con in 2009 that production was “set to begin shooting in 8 weeks time with James McAvoy reprising his role.” Obviously, that never happened. Through much of last year, rumors continued to circulate with Kristen Stewart being mooted to take over the franchise especially since Angelina Jolie‘s character takes a bullet to the head at the end of the original. Director Timur Bekmambetov chimed in at the end of last summer and confirmed that development was happening, but that the movie was a way off saying, “We are discussing ‘Wanted 2‘ every month. We are working on it now, but I think it will be after Lincoln because James is working on the ‘X-Men: First Class‘… It’s why I decided to develop Lincoln without a studio, to keep control. It’s a big movie but independent too.” But the wheels on the project have not taken a major turn.
Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, who penned the first movie, will be back to continue the story as The Wrap reports Universal has hired them on for “Wanted 2.” The installment was loosely based on the comic, and though Millar claimed the followup would adhere more closely to issues 4 and 5, Haas is already hinting at where the story will go telling the trade it’s “going to take off after the events of what just happened” and “pick up Wesley a few years later and go back in for another round.”
Whether he wants to or not McAvoy is contracted to return, but if any of the other returning players come back remains to be seen. Of course, the even bigger question is if McAvoy will lead on his own or (much more likely) we’ll find someone else stepping into Jolie’s shoes for the co-starring part. No word yet if Bekmambetov will be back either, but he’ll clearly at least produce. But if you want it or not, “Wanted 2” is going to happen. If anything, there is plenty of room to improve upon the original.
