WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Extraction, now streaming on Netflix.
Director Sam Hargrave's action-packed film Extraction debuted just a few short weeks ago, and it's already slated to become the streaming service's biggest film of all time. The movie, which stars Chris Hemsworth as a mercenary and expert killer Tyler Rake, is such a hit that it's already set to have a sequel. However, there's still a mystery surrounding whether Chirs Hemsworth will be involved, because, at the end of Extraction, it's unclear whether or not Tyler is alive.
Then again, given the popularity of the film, and the winning formula of Russo, Hargrave and Hemsworth, it's more than likely that the star of the original Extraction will return for the sequel. Regardless, whether the character is alive or dead at the end of the first film doesn't ultimately matter because there are multiple directions the sequel could take -- and any of them could bring back Hemsworth's Tyler Rake.
A PREQUEL STORY
At the end of Extraction, Tyler Rake was shot in the neck, before he fell over a bridge and into the water. The character was assumed dead, until the young boy he sacrificed his life for, Ovi, was seen months later diving in his school's pool. When Ovi emerged from the water, a silhouette far behind him hinted that perhaps Tyler wasn't dead after all. The film ended on this ambiguous note, and it was up to the audience to decide if that was Tyler or not. If the filmmakers wish to keep that question alive, then they could easily choose to make Extraction 2 a prequel movie.
After all, there is still a lot viewers don't know about Tyler and his time as a mercenary. When he was hired to extract Ovi at the beginning of the film, it was clear that this was far from his first mission. In fact, the audience quickly met other members of his team and they were made to understand that they had gone on multiple operations such as this before. On top of that, a prequel film could also feature the return of characters who died in the original, such as director Sam Hargrave's fellow mercenary (who gets killed near the start of the film), as well as David Harbour's traitorous On top of that. Plus, the film would also have the luxury of taking Tyler and his team on a mission anywhere in the world.
A LINEAR SEQUEL
While Extraction ended with an ambiguous note, Russo and Hargrave could also choose to offer a definitive answer and move the adventures of Tyler Rake forward. This direction would possibly allow for the return of Ovi, with the sequel being able to show how the relationship between the two characters has evolved. A considerable father and son bond was forged between the two, and it became the emotional crux of Extraction. This bond could continue to heal Tyler following the loss of his own son.
However, a linear setting could potentially spell doom for Ovi. After all, if Tyler becomes his official guardian, it's possible he would choose to get out of the mercenary game to keep Ovi safe. If that's the case, the sequel would have to see Tyler return to the game for some reason. Unfortunately, the only way to get him back to being a mercenary at that point would be to put him through the emotional wringer once more. Then, and only then, could he once again be unleashed to do what he does best.
Directed by Sam Hargrave and written by Joe Russo, Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, Derek Luke, Marc Donato and David Harbour. It is currently available on Netflix.