Robert Rodriguez is open to directing a sequel to Alita: Battle Angel after he is finished working on The Book of Boba Fett. Based on the manga Battle Angel Alita, the film had been a long in development passion project of writer and director James Cameron since the year 2000. After years in development, Cameron eventually handed the directing reins over to Robert Rodriguez while he moved on to working on the long-awaited Avatar 2 and other Avatar sequels.
Alita: Battle Angel opened in theaters on February 14, 2019, and was the last film released by 20th Century Fox before its acquisition by Disney. The film grossed over $404 million at the worldwide box office and currently stands as Rodriguez's highest-grossing film. However, the film's budget was reportedly up to $200 million. Combine that with the mixed critical reaction the film received, and it seemed that an Alita: Battle Angel sequel would be unlikely, despite many involved with the original film, including star Rosa Salazar, being open to returning to the world of Alita.
In a recent report from THR promoting The Book of Boba Fett, Rodriguez said he is still open to making an Alita: Battle Angel 2. The filmmaker said he recently spoke with Cameron about developing a pitch, which will happen after he is finished working on The Book of Boba Fett. Cameron also appears to be interested and hasn't given up on a sequel. Read Rodriguez's full comments below:
"Jim and I talked about it recently, and we’re still very interested. I told him, ‘Let me deliver Boba and then let’s figure out a pitch.'"
The film left the door open for an Alita: Battle Angel sequel, with the implication that Nova (Edward Norton) would have a much bigger presence in the follow-up films, and more details about Alita's past would be explored. While Alita: Battle Angel may not have been the box office smash hit that other projects associated with Cameron have been, it has gained a passionate fanbase. Of course, there's still a strong chance for an Alita sequel. With the recent confirmation of long-awaited sequels on projects like Enchanted and Hocus Pocus 2, it's clear that Disney never quite gives up on a property if there is a strong following for it; even if a sequel may take a little more time.
Disney has recently used many of the titles they inherited from 20th Century Fox to bolster their material on Disney+, making sequels and spin-offs of Fox properties to be Disney+ originals. These have included Home Sweet Home Alone, to the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid and the upcoming The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild. Disney could make the sequel to Alita: Battle Angel a Disney+ original film, or even a new high profile series given Rodriguez has a good working relationship with the studio after The Book of Boba Fett. Cameron has mentioned recently about wanting to experiment with streaming, so it is entirely possible he would be open to the idea. If so, it's likely that an Alita: Battle Angel follow-up would be as creative, engaging and breathtaking as its first installment.
Source: THR