Following the tremendous success of 2022’s prequel, Orphan: First Kill, we speculated we hadn’t seen the last of Esther.
A third chapter was announced to be in development by screenwriters David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and David Coggeshall soon after. However, after over two years, things seemed to have stalled on the project… Or so we thought.
Now, Lionsgate have announced via The American Film Market that Orphan 3 will go ahead. David Coggeshall is returning as the project’s primary screenwriter, as is First Kill director William Brent Bell.
However, the news that’s really gotten fans excited is the confirmation that actress Isabelle Fuhrman will reprise the role of Esther, the franchise’s titular orphan.
Fuhrman first played the role aged just 12 in 2009. For the 2022 prequel, a variety of trick camera angles alongside de-ageing make-up were utilised to still make Fuhrman appear childlike. Given how successful the trickery was, we have little doubt the 27-year-old can pull off the role again.
Plot details remain closely guarded at this point, so it remains unknown if the third chapter will be a direct sequel to the 2009 original, or another prequel.
Dark Castle Entertainment, responsible for producing each Orphan entry, had the following to say in a statement regarding Orphan 3:
“Dark Castle is excited to announce another terrifying chapter in the Orphan saga. With the past success of the first two movies and another thrilling storyline, we are confident Orphan 3 will be a must-see movie for both current fans of the franchise, and new fans alike.”
2009’s Orphan grossed over $70 million at the worldwide box-office. Despite being released to streaming and theatres simultaneously, Orphan: First Kill managed an impressive $44 million, so there’s definitely an appetite for a third chapter. We’ll let you know as soon as we have any further details.
