After numerous fan campaigns both online and off, the #AlitaArmy have finally been vindicated, as according to Alita: Battle Angel producer Jon Landau, a sequel to the beloved live-action adaptation of Yukito Kishiro’s Gunnm manga is officially in the works.
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Landau, a long-time collaborator of fellow Alita: Battle Angel producer James Cameron and whose team-ups with the eccentric creative also include Titanic and the thus-far three Avatar films, confirmed plans for the cyborg hunter-warrior’s return to the silver screen during a recent interview with ScreenRant.
“We’re working on it,” he told the entertainment news outlet.
“I think what we’ve learned from Avatar is how much more facial nuance and subtlety that we can get into characters that we want to be emotional and emote that are humanoid,” explained the producer. “Alita would not have been possible, but for what we did on Avatar. Avatar: The Way of Water would not be what it is but what we did for Alita. And now let’s put that back and give it back to Alita.”
Ultimately, Landau concluded his tease on a high note, noting, “We’re talking to Robert [Rodriguez, who directed the original] and talking to Rosa [Salazar, who portrayed Alita] and all is good.”
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Luckily for Alita fans, not only will Cameron, Landau, and co. be returning to Iron City with Avatar: The Way of Water‘s technological advancements in tow, but also a sizeable box office return with which to fund the titular heroine’s burgeoning Motorball career.
According to a recent Deadline report, Cameron’s second outing to Pandora pulled in a total of $2.3 billion at the global box office, which after taking into account the film’s roughly $1 billion budget still left 20th Century Studios with a profit of $531.7 million.
Notably, this is not the first time Landau has expressed interest in producing an Alita sequel.
Speaking with Deadline at the December 2022 premiere of Avatar: The Way of Water, Landau was asked for any hints as to his future film plans, to which he replied, “Well, there’s a little film called Alita: Battle Angel that we’d love to circle back and do a sequel to.”
#AvatarTheWayOfWater producer Jon Landau gives an update on the 'Alita: Battle Angel' sequel pic.twitter.com/fBtJVyBLzm
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) December 6, 2022
“We’ve been talking to Robert [Rodriguez] about that and hopefully that comes to fruition,” he added.
Asked by the outlet for information as to when fans might learn more about their plans, Landau joked, “Well, look, I never put a time frame on anything because you guys will hold it against me.”
NEXT: ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ Fans Deliver On Campaign – Plane Flies Over Oscars With #AlitaSequel Banner