It’s been a couple years since I’ve waited so long to see a big geek property in theaters, but I didn’t catch District 9 until last night. While I would have enjoyed going into it without such huge expectations, it lived up to the hype swimmingly. It is with an ambivalent mind though, that I (spoilerifically) consider the prospects of a sequel…
Talking with scifimoviepage.com, director Neil Blomkamp was apparently excited about the prospects of a follow up to his sci-fi hit:
“Even though he wrote District 9 with no sequel in mind, Blomkamp admits that he has “an inclination of an idea” for one and would definitely be interested in directing the sequel…
…which would again be set in South Africa and star Sharlto Copley as Wikus van der Merwe again. “Does Wikus become human again?” is one of the plot issues which Blomkamp feels can be explored in a possible sequel.”
It would seem that Blomkamp has less interest in the faraway aliens, than in the continuing journey of Wikus van der Merwe. In a seperate interview with movie-moron.com, Blomkamp indicates that his ideas aren’t necessarily rooted in the return of Christopher Johnson.
Blomkamp was asked whether Christopher would do as he promised and return to Earth in three years to help Wikus. “I do have ideas rattling around in my head, and weirdly enough they’re not to do with what you just said,” Blomkamp said. “They’re different. But, who knows?”
While I’m not so quick to leap happily on the idea of a sequel to such a special film, some of these are things I’m actually happy to hear. A focus on Wikus would imply a continuing focus on the strained human/prawn social relationship –earth based problems– which is where the real meat of the District 9 world lies. Of course, it would be a mistake to beat the dead apartheid horse, so it would take some careful consideration to generate a fresh or newly interesting look at the universe. Also to be considered is the documentary styling of the film that, like the visual schtick of Cloverfield, presents a stylistic challenge when deciding how to approach any kind of sequel.
Of course, Blomkamp could always decide to haul things in reverse-
“…That doesn’t mean that Blomkamp is ruling out a prequel. He admitted that he finds van der Merwe’s character to be “hilarious” and more fascinating before his redemption in the movie. District 9 star Sharlto Copley who plays van der Merwe echoes these sentiments and says he’d love to play a younger version of the character.“
And while Blomkamp assured interviewers that Peter Jackson would be involved in any further South African prawn adventures, he already has his next original film ready to go. We get to look forward to another science fiction film from him, this time… “different planet, way in the future…”
Can’t wait.