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Upgrade Sequel: Director & Producer Want to Make Upgrade 2 With Bigger Budget
Director Leigh Whannell would want a bigger budget for a potential sequel to his 2018 movie Upgrade. Upgrade is a horror-action film starring Logan Marshall-Green as Grey Trace, a man who rejects most new technology in a futuristic world. After a brutal attack that leaves his wife dead and him paralyzed, he receives a cybernetic transplant called STEM that helps him seek revenge for his wife's death. While the film was not a box office hit, it was still very profitable due to its small budget and a critical success. It's considered an underrated hit, with a very loud and passionate fan base.
Upgrade was produced by the extremely successful movie production company Blumhouse. The company specializes in horror films and is responsible for producing Paranormal Activity, The Purge, and The Conjuring just to name a few. Founder Jason Blum seems to be just as excited for a potential Upgrade sequel as fans. He said that it is definitely something that he and Whannell have been thinking about. Blum said, “I would love an Upgrade sequel... I will say that we haven’t put it to bed yet. We have no immediate plans, but Upgrade is very much on my mind — and on Leigh’s mind as well.”
Whannell has denied any talks for a sequel for a very long time. However, when asked about a sequel while promoting his new movie The Invisible Man with Fandom, he said he enjoyed working on the first film, but would like a bigger budget if he ever made another Upgrade movie. Whannell said, "I loved making that film, so I’d love to do it with a bit more money.” Whannell cited the business of Hollywood as to whether a sequel would be greenlit. He continued, "Hollywood economics dictates whether there’s going to be a sequel, and Upgrade…I wouldn’t exactly call it a monster hit."
It can be argued that we are in the golden age of horror film. While often relegated to the Halloween season or the slower movie months of January and February, horror and thriller movies have found massive success year-round in the past decade. Many horror films are now mainstream hits, both financially and critically. Notable examples include 2017's It, which became the highest grossing horror movie of all time and one of the highest grossing R-rated films of all time. There's also Blumhouse's own Get Out, which received four Academy Award nominations and even earned a win for Best Original Screenplay for Jordan Peele.
Directors and writers are currently looking to shake up the genre with fresh stories, and Upgrade's mix of horror and action is exemplary of this. It is clear why fans are clamoring for a sequel, and hopefully Leigh Whannell and Jason Blum can make it happen. An Upgrade sequel could be just the thing to take the movie from a cult classic to a real hit.
