Cronenberg Eyeing Eastern Promises Sequel

[WyldeMan45]

In an interview at MTV (which contains a big spoiler if you haven't seen the movie), director David Cronenberg says they are planning on making a sequel to 2007 thriller, Eastern Promises. Here's an excerpt:

"We are moving forward with it," Cronenberg told MTV News in an exclusive chat. "We all are excited about the idea of doing a sequel."

The "we" includes Mortensen, who was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his role as Nikolai; the film's screenwriter, Steven Knight; original producer Paul Webster; and original studio, Focus Features.

"We are going to have a meeting very soon between me, Steve Knight and Paul Webster to discuss what the script would be," Cronenberg said. "I have some very strong ideas about what I would like to see, but I would like to hear what they have to say as well. And then after that, if all goes well, Steve goes away and writes a great script. If we all like it, we make it."

As beloved, and diverse, as Cronenberg’s filmography is—everything from the head-exploding horror of “Scanners” to the creepy sci-fi mind-bender “The Fly” to his other Viggo-staring critical success “The History of Violence”—the director has never before had any interest in revisiting his work. “It’s the first time I’ve ever been in a situation where I actually want to do a sequel to something,” he admitted. “I’ve never had the desire to do that before. But in this case, I thought we had unfinished business with those characters. I didn’t feel that we had finished with Nikolai and we had done a lot of research that was more than we could stuff into that one movie.”

While Nikolai’s character will surely be the focus of the new movie, it’s too early to tell if other central characters, like Naomi Watts’ British midwife Anna or Vincent Cassel’s unstable gangster Kirill, will factor into the plot. And, of course, there’s the question of whether those actors would sign on to the project.

At this juncture, Cronenberg is simply intrigued by the opportunity to reunite with Mortensen for a third film. “Viggo is a very special guy,” said Cronenberg. “I consider him a personal friend and we communicate all the time. That doesn’t always happen with actors. He’s very serious about his acting. But he’s really a funny guy. We laugh a lot. We giggle a lot.”

Eastern Promises earned $56.1 million at the worldwide box office.

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/03/30...%80%99-sequel/

[Teabaggins]

I LOVE Eastern Promises

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

I LOVE Eastern Promises

i do too, but this is one of those movies that doesn't really warrant a sequel imo

[JamesKurtovich]

They should do one that takes place in Russia.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

i do too, but this is one of those movies that doesn't really warrant a sequel imo

Well actually they left the ending very open, there where lots of questions raised but not all of them answered. They could always make a prequel that shows how he came to be involved with the family, or just move on a do a direct sequel and have him infiltrate another one.

[DAROCKNESSMONSTER]

Very interesting.
I always thought by films end that they could take this story further.

I'll watch anything Cronenberg is involved with.

[dahoover]

I hope so, I loved the first one!

Viggo and Cronenberg need to make another movie together, so I hope this is the one.

[jkwest]

I still can't believe Viggo showed his manstuff in the first one...

I was like...

[Jeremy1983]

This would be awesome Because I believe at the end of the film,

[Show spoiler] Viggo's character decides to start his own family/syndicate, because he says that it is our time now and tells Kirill that his father has gone to far with ordering the murder of the child, and asks Kirill if he is going to be with him or his father.

I think... its been a while.

[BACsader]

I think this could be great. There was definitely a huge hole left at the end of the movie where I was like what about this, and that, and.....

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Jeremy1983

This would be awesome Because I believe at the end of the film,

[Show spoiler] Viggo's character decides to start his own family/syndicate, because he says that it is our time now and tells Kirill that his father has gone to far with ordering the murder of the child, and asks Kirill if he is going to be with him or his father.

I think... its been a while.

Oh crap, I forgot that conversation, you are right!! That would be the perfect setup for the sequel, so I have a feeling that is where they pick things up from.

[phantompwr]

I just watched Eastern Promises over the weekend. I would definitely be interested in a sequel. I loved the movie as it is, but I would agree, there is a lot more that could be explored there. I think a sequel could be really good.

[Moefiz]

This was one movie that is just dying for a sequel...the first one left the story wide open to go in so many different directions with a sequel.

I hope they can get everyone back from the first one.

[mikejet]

I could see how they could do a sequel but I think A History of Violence and Eastern Promises perfectly complement each other.

[Septimus Prime]

Great movie, but I could have gone without all the dick shots.

[Show spoiler]We don't kill babies.

And I really hope they at least explain what became of Kirill in the sequel.

[WyldeMan45]

I honestly think this is the first movie sequel I have read about in a long long time where fans are actually screaming for a sequel. It's always NO DON'T DO IT, and with Eastern Promises everybody wants one. Good to know that Cronenberg isn't going to wait 10 years!

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

I honestly think this is the first movie sequel I have read about in a long long time where fans are actually screaming for a sequel. It's always NO DON'T DO IT, and with Eastern Promises everybody wants one. Good to know that Cronenberg isn't going to wait 10 years!

Agree, the first movie was great, but there were too many questions unanswered.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

Agree, the first movie was great, but there were too many questions unanswered.

I just hope they get cracking on this and it manages to be one of those rare sequels that is even better than the first. I am also still holding hope that Ed Harris will adapt the 2nd a 3rd books from Robert B. Parkers Resolution and the upcoming Brimstone and make that sequel he talked about to Appaloosa. So that is two Viggo sequels I am anxiously awaiting!!

[broganreynik]

This is kinda cool. I have started to come around and think that Eastern Promises is better than when I first saw it, and a sequel would probably help the story as well.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by DAROCKNESSMONSTER

I'll watch anything Cronenberg is involved with.

+1

CBerg is one of my all time favorite directors.