Upcoming Sequel To $607.9M Steven Spielberg Movie Needs To Break A 46-Year-Old Trend, Or It’s Doomed

Ready Player One is finally getting a sequel in the form of Ready Player Two, but the sequel to the $607.9 million success needs to break a 46-year-old Steven Spielberg trend – or else it’s doomed. Ready Player One is one of Steven Spielberg’s most recent box office successes, with it being a critical and commercial success upon its release in 2018. Because of this, Ready Player Two is happening, but some are worried that it won’t be able to recapture the magic of Ready Player One.

Ready Player Two is the book sequel to the original novel that the Ready Player One movie is based on, with many fans of the film wondering if the second book would get the movie treatment after the original’s success. It has now been announced that Ready Player Two is officially happening, with the film now being in development. While this is exciting news, one detail regarding the upcoming film hints that it could fall into a decades-old Spielberg trap.

Sequels To Steven Spielberg Movies Without Him Directing Don’t Usually Work

Steven Spielberg has confirmed that he will be producing Ready Player Two, which is odd news considering his role in the original film. Spielberg was the director of Ready Player One, with him not yet confirming if he will return to direct the sequel. Since Spielberg only stated his intentions to return as a producer, it seems unlikely that he will direct the sequel, which is a bad sign since sequels to Steven Spielberg movies without him directing don’t usually work.

Due to Spielberg being the mind behind all kinds of massive franchises, several different directors have taken the reins for sequels. Movies like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the Jurassic World trilogy, the Jaws sequels, and more prove that many directors have failed to recapture the magic of the Spielberg originals. Ready Player Two could end up being a sequel to a Spielberg movie with a different director, meaning that it could easily fall into this trend.

Will Ready Player Two Buck The Steven Spielberg Sequel Trend?

Due to the potential directorial change, some fans are wondering if Ready Player Two will be able to buck the Steven Spielberg sequel trend. The Ready Player One novel received mixed reviews, but Ready Player Two‘s reviews were much more negative. This means that the sequel movie is off to a bad start, as adapting the story of Ready Player Two could set the film up for failure.

Despite the original novel’s mixed reviews, Steven Spielberg was able to elevate Ready Player One to greatness, something that could be done again in Ready Player Two. The first movie had some significant departures from the book, meaning that the sequel could as well, potentially fixing this Steven Spielberg sequel curse for the second Ready Player One movie.