Upgrade Director Would Like to Make a Sequel With a Bigger Budget

One of the more unexpected genre hits of 2018 was Leigh Whannell's Upgrade, with its blend of a sci-fi premise with unconventional action sequences resonating with audiences more effectively than some of its bigger budget peers, with Whannell recently confirming that he'd be interested in delivering fans a follow-up film if he could get a bigger budget than the initial installment. The filmmaker didn't reveal why a bigger budget would be necessary, as one of the joys of the initial film was the self-contained storyline, though a larger budget would likely allow the filmmaker to construct a deeper mythology for the series.

"We'll see. A sequel is a champagne problem created by the success of a movie," Whannell revealed to Fandom when asked about a sequel. "So Hollywood economics dictates whether there's going to be a sequel, and Upgrade ... I wouldn't exactly call it a monster hit. I'd call it a cult hit, and cult hits, when they look at the books of cult hits, they're like 'Nyah, sequel'. So we'll see. I loved making that film, so I'd love to do it with a bit more money."

The original film was produced by Jason Blum, who also serves as a producer on Whannell's upcoming The Invisible Man. The producer echoed Whannell's interest in the series, but didn't offer any concrete details on continuing the series.

"I would love an Upgrade sequel," Blum expressed. "I will say that we haven't put it to bed yet. We have no immediate plans, but Upgrade is very much on my mind, and on Leigh's mind as well."

Last year, news broke that Whannell would be working on another beloved cult hit, as he was tapped to write a remake of Escape from New York. That film similarly blended action with sci-fi for a wholly unique experience.

Whannell previously offered an update on the status of the project and the difficulties of reviving such a beloved property.

"It's funny, I've been so busy working on [The Invisible Man] where I haven't had time to circle back around on that project," Whannell shared with ComicBook.com. "Sometimes these press releases go out before you're ready, you're like, 'Don't tell the world!' I don't actually know, I really don't. That is an iconic character and I think that Snake Plissken is a part of people's childhood and their adolescence. It's near and dear to them. So I would tread very carefully with that."

Stay tuned for details on a possible Upgrade sequel.

Would you like to see the film get a follow-up? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!