Orphan 3 coming from William Brent Bell and Isabelle Fuhrman?

The fact that we received a prequel to the 2009 thriller Orphan in 2022 was mind-boggling – especially since the surprisingly entertaining Orphan: First Kill still starred Isabelle Fuhrman as Leena Klammer / Esther, an adult serial killer from Estonia who is able to pass herself off as a 9 year old kid. Looking 9 was easy for Fuhrman when she made the first movie, because she was a child at the time… but now she’s an adult, and the filmmakers had to try to figure out how to make her look like a kid again for the prequel. It worked well enough, and the movie went over well enough with viewers (you can read our review HERE), that Orphan: First Kill director William Brent Bell is now developing Orphan 3!

While doing the press rounds for his new movie Lord of Misrule, Bell told The Hollywood Reporter, “I was surprised [by the warm reception of Orphan: First Kill], because it was such an easy layup way to critique the movie: “Give me a break, she doesn’t look like a little kid.” But if you want to go along for the ride, it’s a fun ride. And I was so pleasantly surprised that audiences pretty much across the board bought into it. (Isabelle and I) were both happy. We were like, “Oh wow, we could make these movies forever.” And so she could play the part as many times as she wants to, as long as it’s still fun and rewarding. … I definitely think Orphan as a franchise has so many variations, and unlike other franchises, whether it’s a doll or a masked killer, she’s a real character on screen like Hannibal Lecter and she’s never going to age. So we really can do it, and we’re only going to get better at it. And Isabelle loves it so much. So, as long as we get excited about the stories, there are so many directions to go, and we’re developing a third one now. When I saw the writer [David Coggeshall] at a screening of Lord of Misrule a few weeks ago, we talked about his new movie, The Family Plan, and he said, “I just want to write Orphan movies because there’s such a freedom. You get to kind of do anything.” And now that we’ve gone another direction with the second one, the franchise’s rulebook has been opened up to where anything is possible.“

When asked if he feels pressure to top the twists in the first two movies in Orphan 3, he answered, “Absolutely. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-created the first one with Alex Mace, was very much involved in the second one, and he was like, “The Orphan movie is about the twist. That’s what it has to have.” And knowing where we are in the process already, I’m extremely excited about the twists and turns that we have in store.“

Directed by Bell from a screenplay by David Coggeshall, Orphan: First Kill had the following synopsis:

Esther’s terrifying saga continues in this thrilling prequel to the original and shocking horror hit, Orphan. After orchestrating a brilliant escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility, Esther travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. Yet, an unexpected twist arises that pits her against a mother who will protect her family from the murderous “child” at any cost.

Does Orphan 3 sound like a good idea to you? What do you think of Isabelle Fuhrman reprising the role of Leena / Esther for another film? Let us know by leaving a comment below.