Just when some moviegoers were beginning to tire of the seemingly unrelenting wave of superhero action movies, director Peter Berg and mega-star Will Smith turned the genre on its head and released Hancock. The final film, about a burned-out and cantankerous superhero, may not have quite lived-up to its especially clever marketing pitch but the project did well enough to warrant a sequel. However, after nearly four years, the fledgling movie franchise seemed to be slipping closer and closer to one-and-done territory.
That is until Berg started chatting with reporters in the media build-up to his big budget Battleship movie (check out our interview with Berg for more) – due out May 2012. According to the director, Hancock 2 is definitely still in the works and it’s just a matter of getting everyone in a room to hash-out the details.
Berg spoke with Comic Book Movie about the potential sequel:
“We’ve been talking about the sequel between us, Will Smith, [producers] Michael Mann and Akiva goldman and myself. We’re all interested, but we literally just have trouble getting into the same room at the same time. We did have a series of meetings last year and started to hash out an idea for sequel — and Will Smith actually had the idea — so I think it will happen, it’s just a question of timing.”
It’s understandable that most of the people involved would be interested in working on Hancock 2 – especially given that that film ultimately grossed over $624 million worldwide. Not to mention sequels, even sequels to movies that weren’t blockbuster megahits (see Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and Punisher: War Zone) are still a great platform for big business at the box office – as is Will Smith – who doesn’t always pass on opportunities to reprise roles (even less-iconic ones).
While superhero sequels can be somewhat of a mixed bag, Hancock (likely to its detriment) put out a metric ton of background story by the end of the first movie – star-crossed lovers, romance triangles, and a convoluted “origin” explanation. As a result, where the filmmakers decide to take the story, as opposed to whether or not they’ll actually do it, is the more interesting question. Especially given that the down-on-his-luck superhero angle from the original is likely to be much more interesting (and entertaining) than catching-up with Hancock as an actual crime fighter.
Berg had previously indicated that there might also be another super-powered person like Hancock out there – which, if the filmmakers went that route, would at least give Will Smith a real threat to fight in the next installment. That said, given the origin “twist” in the Hancock mythos – it could also make for an especially exhausting history lesson.
Hancock 2 is little more than a gleam in Berg’s eye at this point – but we’ll keep you updated as we hear more.
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Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick for further updates.
Source: Comic Book Movie [via The Playlist]
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I hope this happens since I enjoyed the first film.
oh no,the effects were so bad,and the story was the biggest crap!nooo!
I liked the first one and always felt that a sequel would involved another super-powered villain. The “Son of Anak” (from the Bible) angle could work for this; maybe the villain has been in stasis somehow and is released.
Waiting moderation?! Oh, I used the B-word. Sorry.
This another film that false advertises in trailers (If I was the lawyer working on the Drive case, I’d cite this). The trailer was funnier than the whole movie. Hancock waa best as a drunk superhero. The Charlize Theron star crossed lover thing was unneccesary and stupid. The sequel would work better as a prequel. Return to the worlds worst superhero.
i love the first one and hope there is a sequel. any excuse to see will smith acting funny and doing action!
Let it die, I feel asleep in the first one. Will should focus his attention to portraying a Marvel character ala The Falcon.
I enjoyed the first hour of Hancock up until the twist between Charlize Theron and Will Smith’s characters was revealed. That killed the movie. BTW, if they’re supposed to be “Gods”, then why did they have such a weak fight?
his backgroundstory was not bad,but they did nothing with it,and ruined it,just like others said too with the clinch between the (laughing)gods.
You thought THAT fight was weak??? Ouch. Besides, Theron’s character did not say definitively they WERE gods, just that that’s how people have viewed them down through the millenia.
As long as it’s better than that piece of crap Wild Wild West i’ll be happy.
Bleh. I liked the first half of the first movie but when they introduced the whole, “immortal love” angle, it really got stupid.
Yep, agreed.
They should have also not turned him into a responsible hero, I liked it better when he busted up the ground whenever he landed and wrecked stuff.
first 30min – PERFECT
rest of the movie and the weird part with the woman? useless.
lol exactly how I feel. Pulled a kansas city shuffle mid movie.
Making a movie based on demographics will have that affect….
The first one was really good IMO, along with the soundtrack (John Powell is awesome!). I would have to say that the story (especially the origin mythos) was a little unstructured, but they could iron out a lot of details in guided flashbacks. If there was another being similar to Hancock, it could help bring back those memories that he has lost. The sequel could be about Hancock finding out what he is. Charlize Theron’s character might not have told him everything, like about certain other super powered beings (villain could emerge from this). They have so many possibilities on a great sequel story, I hope this movie gets made!!!
I also agree with @Agent 0…he should definitely be cast in a Marvel property. IMO, he is the only one who can be big enough (height and muscle-wise) for Luke Cage..that I can think of.
Are you kidding? Michael Jai-White is the perfect Luke Cage.
I could see that, but I always envisioned Michael Jai-White as Black Manta (DC) for some reason. Michael JW is big enough (muscle-wise) but not in height. He is listed on IMDB as 6′ while Will Smith is 6’2”. If Smith could pack on the same amount of muscle he had during IRobot he could pull off Luke Cage. Michael JW would be a good alternative, but Luke Cage is supposed to be a brawler, I just feel like Michael would throw in too much martial arts for what I think the character should have.
Can anyone tell me how the 3 bad guys escaped from prison?
A sequel could work. Another superhuman framing Hancock, driving him back to alcoholism and leading up to an epic, drunken battle.
The love interest dying could lead him back to alcoholism.
but because of all the failures in hancock,they must write a good,a very good script for the second,either it will have no chance between all the superhero movies. man of steel will killém all!
Agreed. MoS will be the biznasss!!!
I know I’m repeating the same few things but the whole “star crossed immortal lovers” thing killed an already dying idea. The same thing that plagued Superman does in Hancock; super heroes need super villains. Fights that are as dramatic as they are personable. If they some how mix that into the narrative with Hancock being cantankerous and conflicted they COULD pull it off.
hmm another sequel would be pretty kool
I knew nothing about Hancock until i saw the film and i enjoyed it very much.There were indeed a few flaws but all i could see was a possible franchise and where they oould take it to a whole new level.I think they’ll finish a trilogy first, then down the line somewhere start a prequel which will probably be garbage IMO.I also didn’t mind them cleaning up his character remember,the only reason why he was a alcoholic was b\c he didn’t know who he was or where he came from plus,he was extremely lonely that will make anybody turn up a bottle to the head (Depressing) I can’t wait for this sequel.
Will Smith is still box office gold, and the sequel’s script would need to be a nightmare for this not to be successful.
OMG I LOVED HANCOCK. It was a more realistic setting where the people wasn’t throwing themselves at him & jumping on the hero bandwagon just because. I LOVED IT! Waiting on Will Smith in HANCOCK 2.
2008 will fondly be remembered as the year of superhero themed movies. With that being said every superhero movie that came out that year got loads of merchandising except for Hancock which I thought was complete B.S.! There was no Hancock action figure’s, video game’s, pinball machines, not even an online exclusive video game which I thought was kind of odd. If anyone of the producers and makers of the the upcoming Hancock 2 film is reading this please take this into consideration. I’m a collector and I still want my Hancock doll’s and action figure’s. Thank you.
Hancock was a huge disappointment – it had nothing to do with Tony! A complete con.