‘Wanted’ Screenwriters Officially Penning Sequel

The style-heavy action film Wanted was a surprise box-office hit back in 2008, opening with $50 million, which turned into a catalyst for studios to snatch up comic book and graphic novel properties. A sequel seemed highly likely for Universal, and word soon after its success was that original scriptors Derek Haas and Michael Brandt had been asked to write it. Three years later, it appears as if the pair are in fact still wanted. 

Via his Twitter page, Haas announced Universal hired him and Brandt to write the sequel. He later told The Wrap the film has no director yet, but will “take off after the events of what just happened. Pick up Wesley a few years later and go back in for another round.” 

This would imply that Universal has the ability or at least the serious intention to bring back James McAvoy, whose star has certainly grown since 2008. McAvoy's schedule among other things seemed to initially cause the hault in progress when word of a sequel first broke. Also, rumors flew that Universal wanted Angelina Jolie back for the sequel, which would've proven a bit challenging for those who've seen the film. Naturally she had something to do with the $134-million domestic take, but they should've probably thought about that before approving the original film's conclusion.


The last time we heard of the dwindling project, Pooh's Heffalump Movie writer Evan Spiliotopoulos had written a draft, but that didn't matter as Jolie intended to make Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity during the proposed production schedule of the sequel.

Series co-creator Mark Millar, whose comic Kick-Ass did well for itself in 2010, also confirmed the revival of Wanted 2 and ever the self-promoter, mentioned other "Millarworld" projects had exciting announcements due soon. This could be good news for Kick-Ass 2, which Millar recently said would need to happen fast if director Matthew Vaughn and the Kick-Ass team would have any part of it, even if just as a writer or producer.

Thanks to /Film for much of the background info.