If there’s one thing you can be sure of with the horror genre, it’s that it never fails to surprise us.
And, to say the recent news coming from New Line Cinema is a surprise would be quite the understatement.
Rather unexpectedly, we’re hearing from official sources that a sequel to David F. Sandberg’s 2016 hit Lights Out is in the works.
The 2016 original came from a horrifying short film of the same name that Sandberg crafted to much fanfare. The Conjuring creator James Wan took the initiative and offered Sandberg the chance to helm a feature adaption.
Lights Out details a family’s turmoil as they are terrorised by a demonic spirit named Diana. With the entity thriving in the dark, it becomes vital that every possible corner must be swathed in light.
Wan’s hunch proved profitable, with Lights Out debuting atop the worldwide box-office and ultimately grossing $149 million on a $5 million budget. Given such success, a sequel was initially announced following the opening weekend. New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. and Wan’s Atomic Monster were all expected to produce the sequel, with Sandberg once again eyed as director.
However, updates on a Lights Out sequel soon petered out, with no word on the project surfacing for over a decade. Until now…
It has been confirmed that Lights Out 2 has re-entered development at New Line Cinema. Although no concrete plot details have emerged as of this writing, we can confirm that up-and-coming filmmaker Connor O. McIntyre is attached to the project. O. McIntyre is expected to pen the script, and is tentatively slated to direct.
Lights Out director David F. Sandberg is currently set to return as a producer, alongside James Wan.
At this early stage in development, it remains unclear if any cast members are set to reprise their roles in the sequel.
So, after a decade of silence, it looks like Lights Out 2 is finally happening. We’ll keep an eye on this unexpected project and bring you any further updates on the sequel as soon as we can!
