A sequel to 2019's Alita: Battle Angel could still enter development, though not until after director Robert Rodriguez wraps up his current commitments in the galaxy far, far away.
During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Rodriguez confirmed that he has been in touch with Alita producer and co-screenwriter James Cameron regarding a potential sequel. "Jim and I talked about it recently, and we're still very interested," he said. "I told him, 'Let me deliver Boba and then let's figure out a pitch.'"
Rodriguez, who is also known for his work on such films as Spy Kids and Sin City, has directed three episodes of the upcoming seven-episode Disney+ original series The Book of Boba Fett. Rodriguez was tapped to join The Book of Boba Fett after helming "Chapter 14: The Tragedy," a Boba Fett-centric episode of The Mandalorian Season 2 that debuted on Disney+ one year ago. The Book of Boba Fett's directorial team also reportedly includes The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, as well as Bryce Dallas Howard, Dave Filoni, Steph Green and Kevin Tancharoen.
Interestingly enough, Rodriguez explained during the same THR interview that Alita: Battle Angel is what got him the gig working on The Mandalorian in the first place. "Jon saw Alita and that got me into Mandalorian," the director said. "But the only reason I started doing high-tech filmmaking way back when, in Austin of all places, was because of [Star Wars creator George Lucas]." When asked if he had spoken to Lucas regarding The Book of Boba Fett during production, Rodriguez said, "I can't tell you."
Based on the Japanese manga series Battle Angel Alita created by Yukito Kishiro, Rodriguez's Alita: Battle Angel premiered in theaters on Feb. 14, 2019. Starring the likes of Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali, the future-set cyberpunk action film follows Alita, a revived cyborg suffering from amnesia. Alita received mixed reviews from critics, though grossed $405 million worldwide, making it Rodriguez's most financially successful film to date. Rodriguez and Cameron have already expressed interest in making a sequel, though nothing on that front has materialized as of yet.
The Book of Boba Fett premieres Dec. 29 on Disney+.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter