The director of Orphan: First Kill addresses the possibility of a third film if the star and its fans are on board. Jaume Collet-Serra's psychological horror film Orphan stunned audiences in 2009 with a crazy twist revealing the young killer Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) as an older woman with a rare disease. Now, Orphan: First Kill hopes to shock fans with a prequel exploring Esther's escape to America, where the first film took place. Fuhrman, now 25 years old, returns to the franchise after 13 years to play an even younger version of Leena Klammer, aka Esther.
Although Esther dies at the hands of her "mother" in the first film, played by Vera Farmiga, Orphan's cult success made a prequel film exploring the killer's origins a no-brainer. In Orphan, Esther is a 33-year-old woman masquerading as a child due to her unique hormonal disorder. First Kill takes place an undisclosed number of years before her residency with the Coleman family. Director William Brent Bell and his team digitally de-aged the older Fuhrman to play a much younger version of the character, who has been manipulating families and killing for much of her life.
Given Esther's long, sordid history of breaking the law, there is much of her story to tell beyond the events of Orphan and its prequel. Bell addresses the likelihood of a third film - and more - on the Bloody Disgusting podcast The Boo Crew. He says that he would only make more Orphan films if Fuhrman wanted to and if they had a "really cool script." Bell also mentions that there are 30 years of Esther's life to explore, and due to the tone of First Kill, a sequel could portray her as more evil but having more fun with things. Check out the quote below:
I would never do it if Isabelle didn’t do it. And it would also have to be a really cool script. We talked… we joked about everything. There’s 30 years of her life [that we haven’t explored]. And there’s so much life experience that we can play with. And I think because of the tone of this movie, we can go darker and lighter. Make her more in-charge, and evil, but also have even more fun at times. So of course there is [potential there].
The Orphan: First Kill trailer exhibited hints of the fun that Bell alludes to in the podcast interview, highlighting Esther's artistry and wily manipulation tactics. Given Esther's actual age and the certainty that she survives the prequel film, additional films could cover her experiences with other families or tangles with law enforcement before she finds the Colemans. Interestingly, Bell also comments that a direct sequel to the first Orphan is possible if production company Dark Castle Entertainment wants to reverse her death.
Keeping Fuhrman on is also an obvious prerequisite for future Orphan films. As the actress ages, however, her role as young Esther becomes less and less believable—even with digital de-aging effects. Future films also risk redundancy as far as the plot goes. Fans may not want to see another movie concerning Esther integrating herself into an unwitting family. Regardless, fans will first have to support Orphan: First Kill on Paramount+ to even indicate interest in more franchise films.
Source: Bloody Disgusting, The Boo Crew
