Wolf Man is now playing in theaters everywhere, and while the film didn’t necessarily earn rave reviews from critics or audiences on Rotten Tomatoes (52% from critics and 58% from audiences), it still earned a respectable $15 million globally during its first weekend at the box office. The film comes from writer/director Leigh Whannell, who made his directorial debut in 2015 on Insidious: Chapter 3, and then followed that up three years later with Upgrade, the dystopian sci-fi thriller that’s currently streaming on Netflix. There had been whispers in the years following the movie’s release that Upgrade was going to get a sequel in the form of a TV show, but during a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter to promote Wolf Man, Whannell seems to believe that there won’t be anymore from the world of Upgrade coming anytime soon:
“It’s funny because Upgrade does the same thing as Invisible Man. It ends on this ambiguous note, this question mark, where you ask, “Where’s this going to go?” I do think it’s so incredible how the science fiction that I wrote in that movie has become ubiquitous. I was walking along the other day with my brother who was visiting from Australia, and this autonomous car, this Waymo, drove past us. And it struck me that I grew up watching movies where that was considered an absolutely outrageous sci-fi concept.
Now, it’s something that people don’t even bat an eyelid at when one drives past. No one reacted in a big way. So it’s amazing how quickly we, as human beings, adapt to this stuff that was once science fiction, and it’s been funny to watch the world catch up to Upgrade. But as far as making a sequel, that’s another one where I’m like, ‘I think we’re good there. We’re good.’ I would love to let that film keep bubbling away as this cult movie, and if people keep thinking that it was somehow prophetic, then that would be great.”
It’s true that not every successful movie or TV show needs a follow-up; sometimes it’s best to let things exist as they are and move on to the next creation instead of trying to milk something that will clearly come off as a cash grab to the audience. A recent example of this is Joker: Folie á Deux, a sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winner $1 billion-grossing comic book hit. The sequel failed to resonate with critics or audiences, leaving everyone to wonder why it was even made in the first place. Similar to Upgrade, Joker’s ending was extremely ambiguous and left up to interpretation, but the sequel came along and established exactly what happened, putting an end to the mystery and delivering a story many felt wasn’t in the same realm as the original.
What Is ‘Upgrade’ About?
Upgrade is set in the near future where technology controls every aspect and function of everyday life. Then comes Grey, a self-labeled technophobe (someone who fears new technology) who must face his biggest fears when his only hope for revenge is an experimental computer chip implant. The film earned equally strong scores of 88% from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, and stars Logan Marshall-Green, Abby Craden, Harrison Sloan Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie, and Richard Cawthorne. Upgrade also earned $16 million at the box office on a budget of only $5 million.
It seems there won’t be any more movies or TV shows in the world of Upgrade anytime soon, at least none that Whannell is involved with. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and watch Upgrade on Netflix.
Upgrade
Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, Upgrade is a Sci-Fi, Action, and Cyberpunk film starring Betty Gabriel, Logan Marshall-Green, and Harrison Gilbertson. The plot sees a man suffering a tragic accident and becoming paralyzed as a result. He soon accepts a STEM implant that gives him back his body and much more.
- Director
-
Leigh Whannell
- Runtime
-
96 mins
