The Tomorrow War Writer Teases Sequel Goes a Different, Darker Way Than Fans Are Expecting

The Tomorrow War writer Zach Dean offers an update on how the sequel is coming along, hinting at the creative team’s storytelling approach. In an interview with ComicBook.com to promote his new film The Gorge (streaming on Apple TV+ on February 14th), Dean opened up about The Tomorrow War 2, confirming that the film remains in the works. “It’s progressing,” he said. “I wrote the second film, I know they’ve been continuing to develop that story.” Dean didn’t provide an exact window for when the sequel would begin production, though he noted, “I think it’s happening and it’s happening relatively soon.”

Dean also took a moment to praise star Chris Pratt, who is set to return in the follow-up. “One of the great things about Chris is it’s so easy to empathize and get into his character’s [head],” the writer said. “He’s so disarming in terms of his humor and he’s also really emotional as an actor.” Though Dean stated “family thematics” will continue to play a key role in the franchise, The Tomorrow War 2 takes things in a slightly different direction. “[I]t takes a very different version but of similar of ideas. Things that could have gone a darker way.”

Directed by Chris McKay, The Tomorrow War premiered on Prime Video back in 2021. Pratt portrays Dan Forester, a U.S. military veteran who time travels to the year 2051 in an effort to aid humanity’s efforts in a conflict against deadly alien creatures. The sci-fi action film was an instant success on streaming, breaking viewership records shortly after its debut. Amazon quickly moved forward with a sequel, hoping to bring back all the principal players from the first movie.

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However, nearly four years after The Tomorrow War‘s premiere, the sequel has yet to materialize. Last fall, star Yvonne Strahovski told ComicBook.com she remains “hopeful” that The Tomorrow War 2 will eventually come to fruition, though she didn’t have any concrete details about the film’s status.

If The Tomorrow War 2 still happens, it sounds like Dean has a solid foundation for the narrative. Family played an integral role in the original movie, underscored by Dan’s relationship with his daughter Muri. The Tomorrow War earned mixed reviews, but the father/daughter dynamic at the story’s center provided some genuine emotional moments. Bringing that aspect back should benefit The Tomorrow War 2, but the change in tone will ideally keep things fresh. A sequel being darker is par for the course for a Hollywood franchise, and it’ll be interesting to see how The Tomorrow War 2 puts its spin on on that concept. Based on Dean’s comments, the script will give Pratt plenty of heavy emotional material to sort through.

The long wait for The Tomorrow War 2 likely stems from actors’ availability; Pratt kept himself busy with the likes of Jurassic World Dominion, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 right after The Tomorrow War (not to mention voice roles in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Garfield Movie). Once he has some free time, The Tomorrow War 2 will probably move forward. Considering how successful the first installment was, there’s great interest from Amazon in making it happen, so hopefully fans learn some additional details in the near future.