Alita: Battle Angel has been in the works for a long time, and that effort might not even be supported with a successful box office run despite the early support its getting from anime fans and critics. It’s no wonder producer James Cameron is wary about talking about sequels too early.
In a recent interview with Digital Spy, Cameron is anxious about counting his chickens before they hatch as he and director Robert Rodriguez have an idea in mind, but want to wait to see how the first film does.
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Stating, “Well, we obviously have a plan for that…But it’s cheeky to set up a sequel before you’re proven. That can blow back in your face. We think of something like Warcraft that was clearly set up with the intention to do sequels, and then it becomes mock-able because the film doesn’t succeed. But I don’t worry about stuff like that. If the film fails, it’s its own punishment, you know? It doesn’t matter if we get mocked on top of having failed.”
Digital Spy also noted that Cameron and Rodriguez already have notes and ideas for a potential follow-up, but they are playing it safe. Considering how Cameron was already mocked online for his reported Avatar sequels, this safe approach to Alita: Battle Angel makes a ton of sense. Not to mention the fact that it’s based off of a cult-classic manga title that most likely will not have the name recognition another series would. Regardless, fans would definitely want to see more of this world as that seems to be the highlight of the film.
ComicBook.com’s Brandon Davis recently reviewed the film, and here’s an excerpt of his thoughts, “All things considered, the movie is an immersive escape to another world. Attempts at emotion and human connections are supplemented by amazing visual and practical effects, along with well-crafted action sequences. It’s not going to be the next Avatar despite being an equally massive idea, but Alita builds its own world for a second adventure which could get audiences more invested.” You can read the full review of Alita: Battle Angel here.
Originally scheduled to premiere July 20, 2018, and then December 21, 2018, Alita: Battle Angel is now slated to premiere February 14 in the United States. Alita: Battle Angel is directed by Robert Rodriguez, produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau, stars Rosa Salazar (as the titular Alita), Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, and Jackie Earle Haley.
Battle Angel Alita (known as GUNNM in Japan) was originally created by Yukito Kishiro for Shueisha’s Weekly Business Jump in 1990. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic future and follows Alita, a cyborg who is found in a garbage heap by a doctor and rebuilt. Completely devoid of her memory, all she has to cling to is a legendary cyborg martial art known as Panzer Kunst. With this knowledge, Alita decides to become a bounty hunter. The series has since been licensed for an English language release by Viz Media, and collected into nine volumes.
via Digital Spy
