DON’T BREATHE is one of those movies that when I tell people how terrific it is they go, “Really, that movie about the blind guy chasing people around the house?” And then I say yes, but they cry bullshit, so I throw a drink in their face and storm out to de-friend them on Facebook, which starts a bitter 10-year feud that’s resolved only when one of our friends dies in a sudden piranha-related accident, bringing us together for an emotional resolution. It’s that good, and you can bet your ass I want more.
Thankfully more is what we’ll probably get according to the team of director Fede Alvarez and producer Sam Raimi. The two spoke at a press event for the video release of DON’T BREATHE yesterday (via IGN), and there they dished on their excitement for a sequel, even though the anticipation wasn’t always there:
Right now we have Don't Breathe 2 as something we really want to do. The challenge obviously is we just don't want to do the same movie again and just have "2" in it. We'll feel so embarrassed if we do that. At first our reaction when they told us was "no no no no no that's Hollywood, that's the devil pushing us to do something just because we can." And then we had an idea that we got really excited about, we won't tell you what it is, it'll spoil the whole thing…
Then Raimi added what sounded like a bit of hyperbole, before assuring it’s anything but:
It's only the greatest idea for a sequel I've ever heard. I'm not kidding.
In fact, the idea is so different they aren’t even sure if the studio will let them make the movie:
Alvarez:
We're happy that it's kind of an anarchic as an approach to a movie. Is it what the studio would die to have right away? Who knows. Maybe.
Raimi:
No, they're not going to like it at all [laughing].
Alvarez:
They're going to freak out when they find out. But we're excited about that. We're probably going to start writing pretty soon. If I love it, I might direct it as well. We'll see what happens. It's exciting to see a character you want to see more out of it. At least I do. I'd love to see the Blind Man on the screen do some other things. What's going to happen with him in his life?
Alvarez was recently confirmed to be doing the sequel to THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB, so that will most likely be his next project. His directing duties there would make it difficult for him to take on anything more than a producer role for a sequel to BREATHE, though I’m sure with a little schedule finagling he can make it work.
The enthusiasm of the two filmmakers is infectious, and they both seem like men who wouldn’t get involved with a sequel to a movie like this without some wild idea. Those who saw the movie can only imagine how a sequel would work after that ending, but there are tons of possibilities, and Alvarez and Raimi seem to have figured out a great one. I’m on board gentleman, so who do I sign my investor’s check to? I know you have studio backing, but I want to be a part of something real!
In case you didn’t know, DON’T BREATHE is out on video November 29 and on digital platforms now.