From our friend Alex Billington at FirstShowing.net, the love-fest for District 9 continues unabated:
It’s pretty much inevitable that we’ll see a sequel to District 9. The film made an impressive $37.3 million over the weekend, not only surpassing expectations, but making more than its entire budget (not including marketing costs). And the story also sets up a sequel perfectly (we won’t say how until later on to prevent spoilers) in the end. But like with J.J.
Abrams and Cloverfield, will Peter Jackson put a hold on it until they come up with a story that’s satisfactory? Well, Neill Blomkamp already seems quite excited to go back, as he recently told EW: “I would do anything to go back to the world of District 9 again. Or District 10.”That’s not all though, as Fangoria (via SlashFilm) talked with Blomkamp and got even more out of him:
“I’d love to make a sequel, because it’s so creatively rewarding to me; there’s just something about [the story],” he told Fangoria. “It’s my background mixed with the science fiction that I loved. I’d really like to go back to the world of DISTRICT 9—which, without Sharlto’s character, would be a very different kind of movie. So I think automatically the two of us will be reunited again, should the public decide that this film is something they want to see and it’s successful.”
For those who haven’t seen the movie, I will not offer anything further by way of explanation re “Sharlto’s character.”
It’s funny. Walking up to the movie theater to see District 9 on Saturday with my son Will, I specifically said to him, “Let’s hope they don’t decide to go all cheezy and do District 10: The Sequel.” I was referring, of course, to some of the horrible sequels that have come out recently [cough -- Ice Age 3 -- cough]. But after seeing District 9…
There better damn well be a sequel!
There so needs to be a sequel to this!
Yeah, but I think Sharlto could still be in it, if the thing starts three years in the future. The question is how his character would change (though not in the obvious way as in this film, to be vague) because he already had that inner change. Or would he play second to someone else as the main character?
It would be interesting to see the –
[SPOILERS]
process reversed, as was promised, and the ramifications of that if Christopher returned with company.
[/END SPOILERS]
While I think the movie was good, I'm a bit puzzled by the over-the-top reactions. Almost seems like some people want this pic to be up there with the 10 at next year's academy awards. Well, judging from the reviews (is there ANY other pic so far being THAT well-reviewed this year?), it might even have a shot, who knows.
I'm scared.
I was really looking forward to the Pitch Black sequel too, and look what happened.
Mike, please understand. While I think District 9 is an excellent movie, there are some story choices the filmmakers made that I think could have been better — but not for a $30M production. That low budget for an SFX-laden movie, I'm sure, made them cut corners on certain plot choices.
Also, as has been raised elsewhere, some of the characterizations are rather thin, especially the 'bad guys.' Some script work there could have elevated the movie.
But that's just quibbling. Given its genre, the tone it tried to hit — and succeeded — and most of all, the world the filmmakers created, District 9 is, I think, an excellent movie.
Re award season: If the movie breaks $100M box office, which I think it could very well do, and becomes a bigger sensation than it is, I suspect there's a very good chance the screenplay might get a WGA nomination (for original screenplay). The core story concept is fascinating. And the writes I've talked with about the movie all resonate with the creativity behind that. Plus, again dealing with the limitations of a low-budget, using the documentary style approach with all the talking heads to provide all that exposition, that was a counterintuitive approach – "show it, don't say it" – and yet somehow that works on screen. Besides that, the script is solid structurally, has some interesting plot twists, has a strong narrative drive, and forces the Protagonist into and through a most interesting 'transformation.'
Is it a 'great' movie? I'm not prepared to say that. But it's innovative in its concept and execution, has a strong storyline, creates an immerssive experience for the viewer as we enter into the movie's story world, and is bottom line wonderful entertainment.
Can't ask for much more than that for the price of a movie ticket!
In a week or so, I'll provide a more detailed analysis of the movie including a breakdown of the story's structure, but I want to give GITS readers an opportunity to see the movie w/o spoilers.
Hi Scott, thanks for the great response. I agree with pretty much all your points and trust me, I wasn't trying to bash D9 in any way.
It's just that whenever I check rottentomatoes.com or other review sites it seems like it's going up a percent – as if this is going to be an instant classic. And again, while I do see why people like the pic so much, it's not THAT good in my opinion.
It'll be interesting to see how D9 performs this weekend. Normally these kind of pics do well at the beginning but rarely have legs. The word of mouth is fantastic though, so it might do well once again, maybe even getting to Inglourious Basterds.
Anyways, I'm really looking forward to your D9-analysis. I was talking about the pic with a friend of mine for ages last night and I'm definitely up for some more "balanced" input from a guy like you (mostly because he's one of the over-the-top-fans I'm referring to here
…).