Director John Krasinski discusses the possibility of A Quiet Place Part III

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Although John Krasinski is a multi-faceted talent in the entertainment landscape, I don't think audiences really appreciated that fact until a few years ago. Despite serious roles in films like 13 HOURS and DETROIT, Krasinski still carried the stigma of being "Jim from The Office." Then A QUIET PLACE came along in 2018 and blew people away. Suddenly audiences took notice of Krasinski's writing and directing prowess and recognized him for the singular talent he is.

A QUIET PLACE was a surprise breakout horror hit in 2018. The film chronicled the exploits of the Abbot family as they navigate their way through a post-apocalyptic world where violent creatures with a heigtened sense of hearing force humans to exist in almost total silence. Filmed on a modest $20 million budget, the movie made almost $350 million at the box office. Since this is Hollywood, a sequel was inevitable and A QUIET PLACE PART II will hit theaters in just over two months. While it remains to be seen if the sequel will be as critically and commerially successful as the original, it hasn't stopped pundits from discussing the possiblity of a third film.

Speaking to Total Film Magazine, John Krasinski was asked about the potential of a third movie in the QUIET PLACE franchise. While he admits that the seeds for a third film are certainly there, neither he nor the studio were ready to commit to a third movie:

"I set up a couple of tiny little Easter eggs in II that not only explain more about I, but would allow for more mythology. But, being a Boston Catholic, I can’t be like, ‘Yeah, of course, there’ll be a third!’ No, not at all. I haven’t heard from the studio that they want a third one. But the good news is that the studio and I are on the same page in that this isn’t one of those franchises where we keep pumping them out if they make money. I think we’ve proven that this is an original idea that is really beloved by people in a way that… I don’t want to break that promise to people."

Personally, I think this is the right tactic to take. We live in a movie culture where everything is always about shared universes, franchises, and the next big sequel. While I recognize it's been that way for decades, there's something to be said for taking each movie as it comes. If you're constantly thinking about the upcoming sequel or about how your film fits into a larger X shared universe, how focused are you on actually making the movie in front of you the best it can possibly be? It robs artists of the present moment and ultimately I believe hurts the film. Krasinski doesn't strike me as that type of person and it's nice to see that reinforced from his words.

A QUIET PLACE PART II silently creeps into theaters March 20, 2020.