The Purge creator thinks the next movie will bring the series to an end

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Like a Little Engine That Could filled with murder, mayhem and terror, THE PURGE series is one of the most surprisingly successful franchises to come around in the last few years. Over the course of four years and hundreds of millions in global ticket sales, the series about the one night of the year people can legally go batshit crazy has found a strong footing in modern culture. But every ride needs to come to an end, and the creator of the series, James DeMonaco, says that he thinks the next movie in the series will bring it all to an end.

[SEE MORE]

DeMonaco, who has written all four movies and directed the first three, was talking to EW when he said that he’s currently contemplating the fifth film, which he believes will bring the whole thing to a rousing, and no doubt politically astute, conclusion.

“I have it in my head. I think I’m going to write it. I think it’s a great way to end it all. We want to end it all, I think, in this one, and I’m very excited. When I came up with the idea and pitched it to everybody, they seemed psyched, and I think it will be a really cool ending, how we take this one home.”

The last movie in the series, this year’s THE FIRST PURGE, was the highest-grossing movie in the series around the world, making $136 million globally off a $13 million budget. The first movie debuted in 2013, and though the series has never earned tremendous critical acclaim they’ve rounded up about $450 million around the world off a combined production budget of no more than $30 million. As well, the word “purge” has become part of the modern lexicon, which is somewhat unnerving when you think about it.

[SEE MORE]

Should THE PURGE movies end with a fifth outing it will have been a solid run. They made their money and their impact on the modern horror landscape, and stopping now would mean getting out before they overstayed their welcome. If this final outing really ends things it will have to drive home any political subtext these movies have been working with over the last few years, perhaps by repealing the annual Purge. Perhaps it will be called "The Final Purge", and then in a few years if they reboot the series they can call it "The Purge Reborn." Ha, look at me, saying "if" they reboot the series.