Nowadays, actor James McAvoy is perhaps best known for his portrayal of a young Professor Charles Xavier in the current run of X-Men films, starting with X-Men: First Class in 2011. However, it was the star’s role in Timur Bekmambetov’s 2008 action thriller Wanted that marked his first foray into the world of comic book adaptations.

That film – which also starred Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman in key roles – brought in $341 million worldwide and garnered mostly positive reviews. Ever since, there have been rumblings that a sequel could see McAvoy’s assassin return to the big screen, but thus far, nothing has materialized.

ComingSoon.net recently talked with one of the people behind the film, producer Marc Platt, about the possibility of Wanted 2. His response does contain SPOILERS so don’t read on unless you’ve seen the first film.

Here’s what Platt had to say about the sequel:

“We have a script that’s getting pretty good. To do a sequel when it wasn’t really set up for a sequel–one of our main characters dies in it. You don’t want to just retread a similar story, but when we get the script to a certain bar, there will be a sequel. It’s taken a while because it’s challenging, as I said, because we lost a main, main character, so where that James McAvoy character goes now… we have good ideas though. It’s coming along.”

So it appears that the film’s conclusion – in which Angelina Jolie’s Fox sacrifices herself – has left the filmmakers in a bit of a rough spot. No doubt Jolie’s presence in the film helped bring in audiences and, with her character confirmed to not play a role in the sequel, the question becomes how to transition into a new story with Wesley (McAvoy) as a more active protagonist (and more experienced assassin). A couple years back, it was discussed that Wesley would be bringing on a new female recruit (a part that, at one point, could have been played by Twilight star Kristen Stewart).

With McAvoy a bigger international star than ever before and the right star beside him, Wanted 2 appears to be a hit simply waiting to happen. But where does that leave Mark Millar, co-creator of the Wanted comics and co-producer of the original film? Platt tackled that one too.

“He’s always going to be involved but he’s not going to write the screenplay which is far along, as I said, but he’s always going to be involved because the tone he puts forth is so much his tone and I think the film captured that dark humor of his really well.”

Platt’s words definitely ring true, as film adaptations of Millar’s work – namely Wanted and Kick-Ass – have a very specific tone that has proven that it resonates with moviegoers, the relative disappointment of Kick-Ass 2 notwithstanding. Here’s hoping that Wanted 2 can manage to capture that same feel (and serve as a satisfying continuation of the first film), whenever it does happen.

Are you still excited about a sequel to Wanted, Screen Ranters? Sound off with your thoughts and hopes for the sequel in the comments section below.

Stay tuned to Screen Rant for updates on Wanted 2 as this story develops.