Director Roland Emmerich reveals that Moonfall 2 & 3 were part of his original plan for his latest movie. The Hollywood blockbuster director is practically synonymous with the disaster genre, having depicted destruction on a massive scale in films like Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. His new project, Moonfall, is currently scheduled for theatrical release on February 4.
This time, the Earth is facing destruction as a result of the Moon being mysteriously pushed out of its orbit, and set on a direct collision course with Earth. As human civilization contends with the disasters caused by the new influences of the Moon’s gravity, a crack-team consisting of NASA executive Jo Fowler (Halle Berry), former astronaut Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson), and conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman (John Bradley) find themselves on a mission to restore the natural order and save the world. In doing so, however, they discover that the Moon isn’t a natural entity at all.
In an interview with Collider, Emmerich reveals that he is not only considering the possibility of Moonfall sequels should this movie succeed, but that a trilogy was actually his original plan. The director acknowledges that he isn’t a big fan of sequels in general, and might not even want to follow through on a Moonfall franchise after this one releases. If he does, however, he tells fans to expect a huge cliffhanger at the end of Moonfall 2. Check out Emmerich’s full quote below:
I’m also not very high on sequels. But I tried this time to make this a trilogy, but I am not sure even if I want it anymore. I think if I do a sequel, I will make it a little bit more like the original Star Wars, the second one will have a huge cliffhanger. Because that’s totally lost on people. Everything always has to be clean-cut. Why not leave them hanging and say, we left you hanging see the conclusion, in two years.
From the premise, it certainly sounds like this movie will contain elements that could be expanded upon in future sequels, especially if some questions surrounding the Moon’s artificiality are left unanswered. However, Emmerich’s plan will surely depend on this installment performing well at the box office, as Moonfall has the rare distinction of being a $140-million independent film, having been financed without the involvement of a big studio or streaming service. Should the movie struggle to make a profit, which wouldn’t be a surprise during the pandemic era, convincing financiers to supply enough cash for two more will be practically impossible.
Fans hoping for a Moonfall franchise have reasons to be hopeful, though. Emmerich’s films have grossed a total of nearly $4 billion worldwide, and based on the early buzz around this project, audiences associate him with the kind of spectacle that can encourage people to make the trip to their local multiplex. For now, the best thing fans can do to promote the making of Moonfall 2 & 3 is to see the first one when it hits theaters next month.
Key Release Dates
Moonfall
Release Date:2022-02-04
