Joe Cornish, the writer-director of Attack The Block, says he's discussed the possibility of a sequel with the movie's star John Boyega. The sci-fi horror movie was Cornish's debut feature, and became a cult hit, earning plaudits from both critics and fans alike. It also helped kick-start Boyega's career as his first film role.
Cornish, who started out as a comic and TV writer in Britain, has since gone on to write for Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn) and was also responsible for the story and script of Edgar Wright's version of Ant-Man, receiving a credit on the film. His most recent movie was his second writing-directing effort, modern King Arthur tale The Kid Who Would Be King. Attack the Block starred a host of unknowns at the time, but the film's leads have since gone on to much larger sci-fi properties. Jodie Whittaker is currently playing the 13th Doctor on Doctor Who, Franz Drameh joined the Arrowverse as one half of superhero Firestorm, and of course Boyega went on to star in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
Speaking to the podcast Script Apart, Cornish says that he has been in touch with Boyega about a sequel to Attack the Block. The writer-director says that he "has ideas" for a follow-up film, and that he got in touch with his star "a couple of months ago" to talk about the sequel. Cornish also reveals that he and Boyega have been discussing ideas for a sequel ever since the first film was released back in 2011, but they hadn't managed to lock everything down due to the fact that they've "both been busy doing different things," a subtle nod to the fact that both men have since been involved in the biggest movie franchises on Earth.
Last year, Boyega said he'd be keen to star in a sequel, and Cornish's news reveals that it's closer than ever to happening. Boyega, of course, has spent the bulk of this year working on social causes like Black Lives Matter and releasing behind-the-scenes tidbits from the Star Wars productions. But he is also starting to move away from that universe, and now would be a good time to revisit the movie that made his name.
The timing of an Attack the Block sequel couldn't be better. With the focus on issues of police brutality and justice for black people, another Attack the Block movie would arguably be more relevant than ever. The first film was praised for the social commentary that is layered over the sci-fi elements, and directly deals with the way disenfranchised, poor black people are treated by police.
One imagines that Cornish would choose to focus on this aspect of society in any sequel, and the urgency of the Black Lives Matter protests would definitely make the film resonate with audiences. However, by the time a script is written and produced, the issue might not be in the limelight any longer, and so Cornish will have to ensure that he deals with the matter in a way that seems timeless. Based on his first effort, though, that shouldn't be a problem.
An Attack the Block sequel is also a great opportunity to see Boyega return to an iconic role and develop his character. This is something he arguably wasn't given the opportunity to do in the Star Wars sequels, as Finn was often underwritten and relegated to the background in The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker.
Source: Script Apart