In 2019, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez teamed up with James Cameron to presentAlita: Battle Angel, a cyberpunk adaptation of the 1990 manga classicBattle Angel Alita. The movie underperformed at the box office but quickly gained a cult classic status online, with fans clamoring for a sequel. In an interview with Forbes, Rodriguez hinted that the franchise might find new life on a streaming platform, and is optimistic thatAlita: Battle Angel 2may happen on #Disney+..
“I think anything is possible.Disney bought Fox, and they have Disney+, so that is worth the conversation. I know other people would love to see another, and I would love to do another one. As far as where it would go or how it would be made, I think streaming has opened up many opportunities such as sequels. It’s already a pre-sold concept, it’s already got a built-in audience that wants to see it, and then it’s delivered to them in a way that’s the easiest for them to consume. So, it’s not a bad idea.”
Alita: Battle Angelwas always meant to be the start of a new franchise. The film told the story of a future Earth that was devastated by a catastrophic war known as “The Fall”. In the new post-apocalyptic society, a scientist, played by Christoph Waltz,discovers a cyborg body in the scrapyardhousing a living human brain. The scientist places the brain in a new metal body and names his creation Alita.
The human/cyborg hybrid wakes up with no memory of her past life and embarks on a quest to regain her memories. With a star-studded cast, cutting-edge special effects, and an intriguing central storyline,Alita: Battle Angelappeared all set to be Hollywood’s next major franchise.
Although that did not end up happening, the fandom that the movie garnered the world over is a passionate one. Much like the#ReleasTheSnyderCutmovement, the#AlitaSequelmovement has gathered strength over time, with the message trending on Twitter, and appearing on billboards.
Just as the “Snyder Cut” finally found a home on the HBO Max streaming service,Robert Rodriguezseems to believe that if and when anAlitasequel is made, it will be on a streaming platform, which for Disney means Disney+. Previously, Christoph Waltz had hinted that the reason the sequel might not get made is because theAlita: Battle Angelfranchise does not fit in with Disney’s brand.
“I haven’t heard anything and I’m a little disappointed and surprised that I haven’t heard a thing so far, because I know that it has followers. I know that people liked it and aside from what others said, I loved it and I liked working on it and I liked the result. You know, it was Fox and Fox doesn’t exist anymore. Now it’s Disney. Maybe it doesn’t fit into the Disneyfication, but I have no clue. I have no clue. Maybe they’re working on something and I wouldn’t be the first person to hear, but meanwhile, I haven’t heard anything.”
After Disney recently announced thatDeadpool 3has been greenlit, fans are hoping more non-PG13 movies follow suit. If theAlitasequel turns out to be one of them, the franchise will finally be able to reward its fans for their loyalty. This news originated atForbes.
