I know, you probably read that headline and wondered “Has Travis come back from TIFF with a major head injury?” No, I’m perfectly okay, and yes, Vin Diesel’s The Last Witch Hunter (review here) is getting a sequel. You forgot about that one? Another of Diesel’s random non-Fast & Furious franchises? Well, there’s a reason why it’s happening, but it still doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Deadline confirms that The Last Witch Hunter 2 is in the works at Lionsgate, with Diesel returning. Michael Caine is also in talks to reprise his role as priest Dolan 36. Diesel will also produce through his One Race Films label.
The Last Witch Hunter was released in 2015, and centered on a centuries-old immortal witch hunter who must stop a plague unleashed by a modern-day coven. It wasn’t a huge hit, grossing $147M worldwide on a $90M budget. But the film has been a surprising hit for Netflix and in other markets globally, and that seems to be the reasoning behind this sequel moving forward. Sounds like a recipe for a loser, unless it can be made at half the price.
It’s unclear who else will be involved, such as co-stars Rose Leslie and Elijah Wood. And what about director Breck Eisner? He was red-hot at the time following The Crazies, but he hasn’t directed anything since The Last Witch Hunter. He seems to have quietly left the biz.
Diesel also has Riddick: Furya, the fourth chapter of his long-running sci-fi/action franchise, coming up with Universal Pictures. I’m still waiting on Knockaround Guys 2, but that’s probably not gonna happen.
