Summary

• Salt 2 fell through despite early plans and the potential for a franchise. Angelina Jolie rejected the sequel script in 2012, and the project quietly died due to lack of traction and financial success.
• A Salt TV series was briefly considered as an alternative, but the concept was deemed too similar to The Blacklist. With over a decade since the first movie, it is unlikely that Jolie would return to the role.
• Salt may be better off without a sequel. While it set up the potential for a franchise, the movie received mixed reviews and didn't generate overwhelming demand. The lack of originality in the genre and Jolie's career transition may have contributed to the project being shelved.

2010's Salt starring Angelina Jolie was an exciting new entry into the spy thriller genre — but despite initial plans for a franchise, Salt 2 never happened. Tom Cruise was originally attached to Salt, which dealt with a CIA agent named Edwin Salt going on the run when he was accused of being a Russian mole. Jolie stepped in with the gender-switched protagonist of Evelyn Salt. Following the first movie grossing $293 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), there were quickly plans announced for a Salt sequel — though, unfortunately, Salt 2 still hasn't arrived over a decade later.

The ending of Salt clearly set up at least one sequel with the potential for the franchise to grow beyond Salt 2, and there are many who view Evelyn Salt as one of Angelina Jolie's most underrated roles. More than a decade since the first movie became a hit, talk of a Salt franchise or sequel has all but disappeared and the likelihood of it happening is next to zero. Angelina Jolie has largely taken a step back from the acting world aside from her more recent roles in Eternals and Those Who Wish Me Dead. With the promising franchise no more, it is interesting to look back on what happened and why it might be best Salt 2 never worked out.

Early Plans For Salt 2 Fell Through

Jolie Rejected The Sequel Script

At the end of Salt, Evelyn is able to prevent a nuclear war, then escapes CIA custody after vowing to hunt down all the remaining Russian sleeper agents. There's also a suggestion the new President could be a Russian mole, which set up the Salt 2 movie to follow Evelyn becoming something of a vigilante taking down the KA agents within the U.S. government. Salt's ending was clearly left open-ended so that studio Columbia Pictures could easily develop a sequel if the movie was successful.

A Salt TV Series Was In Development

The New Direction For The Franchise Has Also Stalled

With no sign of Salt 2 moving forward, a report emerged in 2016 that Sony was developing a Salt TV series instead. The sequel tease at the end of the movie would have perfectly set up the show, with Evelyn Salt tracking down various moles. That said, this concept is also quite similar to The Blacklist, which may be one reason nothing has been heard about a Salt series ever since.

Angelina Jolie has shown a willingness to return for sequels like Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, but the actor has shown more interest in directing and humanitarian work in recent years. Given that more than 10 years have passed without Salt 2, it seems unlikely that Angelina Jolie would choose to return to the role for a TV series.

Salt Is Better Off Without A Sequel

The Movie May Not Be Original Enough To Inspire More Stories

As it stands, Salt 2 is unconfirmed and seemingly not currently in development, and despite a script being written, the sequel obviously entered development hell a long time ago. However, while Salt set up a sequel, that doesn't necessarily mean that there should've been one. Angelina Jolie may not be as active as she once was, but the best roles of the latter half of her career weren't the action-heroine parts like Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Fox in Wanted, or Evelyn Salt.

Salt came at a time when her career was transitioning to a new phase, and Salt 2 realistically wouldn't have been as much of a successful role for her as, for example, Maleficent in Disney's live-action trilogy of the same name. In addition, Salt received mixed reviews from critics and audiences too, so while it didn't bomb at the box office, there wasn't an overwhelming demand for more of the story.

The issue with Salt's longevity as a story and how long it could continue with Salt 2 and beyond was that it relied too heavily on its genre predecessors, trying to take the best parts of earlier, better action-spy movies without giving the film an original spin or approach. Jolie might have carried the movie, but since she refused to take on Salt 2, studios probably thought it best to shelve the project.