This is a live article and it will be updated as new details come our way about Alita 2. This is what we know so far.
Alita: Battle Angel is the 2019 American cyberpunk action film produced by James Cameron and Jon Landau. It was directed by Robert Rodriguez and based on Yukito Kishiro's cult-favorite manga series of the same name or Gunnm in Japanese. The film was in development since 2003 but was delayed repeatedly due to Cameron's work on Avatar and its sequels. The film finally made it to production in 2016 and was released three years later to critical acclaim.
The film follows the story of Alita, a cyborg who wakes up in a new body with no memory of her past and sets out to uncover her destiny. The first film was a hit and Cameron had always hoped to make follow-up films. Here's what's in store for the future of the film:
The sequel to "Alita: Battle Angel" has been officially announced, with producer James Cameron confirming its development as of July 2023. Cameron, discussing his current projects, mentioned, "And on Avatar, I'm working in Wellington and Los Angeles. And on the new Alita: Battle Angel films, I'll be working in Austin." This follows director Robert Rodriguez's revelation in May 2023 (reported by Movie Web) about renewed discussions for the sequel.
Rodriguez, in conversation about "Alita: Battle Angel 2," expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "Yeah, we have been talking about it, so we would love to make one." He indicated that while the project is definitely on the table, its timeline remains uncertain. He mentioned, "We haven't set it for sure yet... They're slammed with all the Avatar stuff, but they've definitely been engaging in it," referring to the involvement of Cameron and Jon Landau in the project.
Ever since the first film was in development, the filmmakers were sure they wanted to create several sequels. The first film's director, Rodriguez, spoke to Digital Spy and stated: "Jim [Cameron] and I talked about it recently and we're still very interested. I told him, 'Let me deliver [The Book of Boba Fett] and then let's figure out a pitch.'" He served as an executive producer on the Disney+ American space Western series created by Jon Favreau.
Then on October 5, 2023, Rodriguez provided an even better update regarding the timeline for the sequel of "Alita: Battle Angel." He indicated that the active production of "Alita 2" would probably commence following the resolution of the SAG-AFTRA strike. And since the strikes are now over we can expect the Alita 2 to commence filming anytime now.
The first film was released by Fox which has since been acquired by Disney. So it is up to Disney to determine whether to greenlight a sequel to Alita or not. The fans of the media franchise are keen for a sequel as well and the pressure from them could allow Disney to make a decision.
The first film ended in a satisfactory manner and served as a complete arc in itself. “It was fun, to get into the mind of Jim and how he crafts a story," Rodriguez said. "It was a real lesson in creating a character that could go on [for multiple movies]. Whether you have a franchise or not, you have a character that’s so rich that the audience can imagine more movies with, those are the kinds of characters that I like.” Cameron had also noted how Alita's long life has many mysteries yet to be addressed. There are plenty of plots to pick up from whether from the original manga or not, there is a lot to tell.
It is still unclear what they could pick up from but Rodriguez explained: "There's like one whole document about the trilogy. Because that's just part of his process. 'Here are three movies. Just so you know what to include in the first story and whatnot.'"
Rosa Salazar was cast as Alita and was praised for her performance in the film. She will definitely be coming back to the sequel as well when they decide to make it. "I would play Alita till my last breath," she had stated. "I would, and thanks to the performance capture technology, I probably could." Christoph Waltz as Dr. Dyson Ido. Alita's father figure will also most likely be coming back to the sequel. Keean Johnson as Hugo and Alita's love interest and the villainous Mahershala Ali as Vector may not be there in the sequel for obvious reasons.
Edward Norton appeared at the end of the film as Nova and may have a bigger role to play in the sequel. Similarly, Michelle Rodriguez as Gelda and Jai Courtney as Jashugan were meant to set up larger roles in a sequel.
James Cameron has recently confirmed the production of "Alita: Battle Angel 2". However, it is challenging to determine a precise release date at this stage. The timeline for the film's commencement depends significantly on Cameron's availability, as he is currently occupied with other projects. This suggests that production might not begin until after the release of "Avatar 5," scheduled for December 2028. As a result, "Alita: Battle Angel 2" may not be released until at least 2030. The lengthy development period of the first "Alita: Battle Angel" film, which took Cameron 16 years to complete from its inception in 2003, further casts uncertainty about the sequel's release timeline.
This article was recently reviewed and is up to date as of November 18, 2023.
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