With just over a year gone since its predecessor, director James Wan addresses a possible Malignant 2. The first filmed starred Annabelle Wallis as Madison Lake-Mitchell, a young nurse who loses her baby after an argument with her abusive husband, who himself is killed in a bizarre fashion. While trying to recover from the situation, Madison's life is thrown upside down when those tied to her mysterious past are killed off in brutal fashion, with her sharing a seemingly psychic connection with the killer as she watches them murder the victims through visions.
Based on a story from Wan, his wife/actor Ingrid Bisu and writer Akela Cooper, the film hit theaters and HBO Max in September 2021 to generally favorable reviews from critics and audiences alike, with praise aimed at Wan's direction, the giallo and Dark Castle Entertainment throwback vibes, and Malignant's off-the-wall third act twist. Despite the generally positive reviews, the horror movie underperformed at the box office, grossing just over $34 million against its $40 million production budget. This seemingly took all potential sequel talks off the table, though the man at the helm won't give up on a possible Malignant 2.
While speaking with The AV Club to reflect on making the first two Insidious movies, James Wan addressed the possibility of Malignant 2. The director stated that it will all come down to the fans and whether they can convince Warner Bros. to produce the sequel. See what Wan said below:
This is what I would say for Malignant 2. If the fans want it, I want them to make a big noise with the studio. And that’s how you did it. #RestoreTheMalignantUniverse. That’s what needs to be done for a Malignant 2 to happen.
What Could Malignant 2 Be About?
Though the original movie ended on a fairly satisfactory note, there were a number of unanswered questions audiences have hoped to see answered in a potential Malignant 2. One of the biggest plot threads still lingering on many viewers' minds is just how Gabriel, Madison's parasitic twin, came to get his electricity-based powers, in which he was able to communicate with everything from radios to cellphones, while also control such electronic devices as lights and TVs. With the first Malignant movie also ending with Gabriel threatening to try and escape Madison's mind once again for another murder spree, some have been curious to see a rematch between the siblings.
As Wan notes, most studios rely on box office numbers and fan followings, and while the first Malignant movie may have been a critical success, its box office did suffer amid competition from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Candyman, as well as the simultaneous theatrical and streaming release. Given Warner Bros. is currently in a state of upheaval following the Discovery merger, in which they are looking to recoup $3 billion in debt, the film's underwhelming box office performance may leave the studio wary of moving forward with a sequel, especially given their shelving of completed projects Batgirl and Scoob! 2. Those eager for a Malignant 2 can show the original film support with it available to stream on HBO Max now.
Source: The AV Club