Dhan Dhan! Dhan Dhan! Trrrrrrt, Dhan Dhan! There’s something about the 20th Century Studios theme song that just gets us going, right? Well, the studio undoubtedly left its mark this summer. Or should we say it sort of found a new life during that period? Whatever the case may be, it was great to see the studio’s presence (even if it’s a Disney-owned division now!).
Notable projects like The First Omen, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and Alien: Romulus opened with the 20th Century Studios logo. We can include Deadpool & Wolverine here as well, even if the studio’s logo was shown lying somewhere in the Void. Nonetheless, the movie served as a love letter to the Fox-era Marvel projects.
Leading 20th Century Studios is Steve Asbell, a longtime executive at Fox and the Executive Vice President of Production, who recently talked with The Hollywood Reporter about the studio’s upcoming projects.
Asbell confirmed that a sequel to Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus is in the works, which will focus on Andy and Rain, played by David Jonsson and Cailee Spaeny, the only survivors from the first movie. “We’re working on a sequel idea now. We haven’t quite closed our deal with Fede [Alvarez], but we are going to, and he has an idea that we’re working on.”
When asked about making more Agatha Christie movies, Asbell nodded, pointing out the studio’s strong relationship with the estate. He mentioned plans to adapt Miss Marple, Witness for the Prosecution, and And Then There Were None. Moreover, the studio is planning to make another Alien vs. Predator movie.
However, the executive revealed that the studio currently does not have any plans for franchises like Die Hard and Kingsman.
Talks of Speed 3 have been going on for years. At the recent 30th anniversary screening of the first Speed movie, which featured the likes of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, Bullock remarked that Hollywood might not be brave enough to make Speed 3. In response, Asbell said:
“Hollywood is brave enough. We are brave enough. We are sitting by the phone. (Laughs), It is one of those last movies that we haven’t remade. And to really be a reason to come back, it’s got to be a great idea and an idea that excites (Bullock and Keanu Reeves). Because that’d be the reason to see it.”
Surprisingly, 20th is not planning to deliver a sequel to the hit 2021 action comedy, Free Guy, one of the hit collaborations between star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy. Stay tuned for more updates.