Sequel Round-up: 'Wanted 2,' 'Fast Five,' 'Enchanted 2' and 'The Lost Symbol'

Oh, and a small Beckinsale bit regarding 'Underworld 3D'

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Thursday, February 4th 2010 at 3:00 AM

The last time I did one of these sequel round-ups it was read like gangbusters and is still being read. For those of you that crave these kind of stories lucky for you there are enough details in the news cycle today to make for another one.

First off, we'll start with what really serves as a continuation from my last update in which I quoted a posting from Vin Diesel's very own Facebook page in which he wrote the following with regards to the continuation of the Fast and Furious franchise:

"I have never been submitted a two story saga from a studio before…it is very exciting and shows a commitment level that is hard not to respond to. Excited about the sexy locations the filming of this saga would take us…this novel-like story, that has twists and unexpected turns that is authentic, truthful and challenging to the characters."

Now, Variety brings additional details, reporting the fifth film has been greenlit and is currently titled Fast Five with both Diesel and Walker set to return.

Chris Morgan is writing the film with Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast and Furious helmer Justin Lin returning for a third stint with the franchise. Morgan also wrote both of those films, and this time the story finds Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and Brian O'Conner (Walker) as fugitives being pursued by relentless lawmen. Filming is expected to begin later this year for a 2011 release.

Speaking of Morgan, he was part of the team that penned 2008's Wanted and talk of Wanted 2 is no longer chatter, it's going to happen. It's just a matter of when.

Today we have the IGN video interview you see to the right with "Wanted" creator Mark Millar talking about the original film as well as the sequel.

"The screenplay is almost at the stage where people are getting happy with it," Millar said. "I can't remember exactly when it's going to start shooting — I don't know if I can even actually say — but it'll be soon and it's almost ready now, the script is almost ready."

When asked what direction the film will be taking he added, "It follows immediately after the first movie and the Fraternity is down in America, but there's an international Fraternity that we had in the book as well, where there were five Fraternities across the world and [the story follows] James [McAvoy] being out there being hunted by the other guys."

Angelina Jolie is set to return as Fox and I would only assume she will become something of a sidekick to McAvoy's Wesley Gibson.

Moving on, Variety brings word Columbia Pictures has brought in Eastern Promises scripter Steven Knight to pen The Lost Symbol, the third story in Dan Brown's fiction franchise that started with The Da Vinci Code in 2006 and was then followed by Angels & Demons last year. Tom Hanks is expected (but has not yet signed on) to return as Harvard symbologist and religious expert Robert Langdon who is summoned to Washington, D.C., where he begins decoding the symbols of the Freemasons.

Oddly enough, Variety's piece doesn't mention Ron Howard's name once, which makes me wonder if he will return to the director's chair for a third go around. I expect he will, but the absence of his name is curious.

On a side note, Underworld 3D, the fourth film in the franchise, is apparently set for a January 21, 2011 release date and Bloody-Disgusting reports Kate Beckinsale will be starring in the film although "she's trying to find a way out." Sounds like a winner. No word on director yet, but John Hlavin ("The Shield") is writing the screenplay.

Finally, Disney is ready to move forward with Enchanted 2, a sequel to the 2007 Amy Adams live-action fairy tale feature and this time they have brought in The Proposal helmer Anne Fletcher to direct. I Am Sam and Stepmom scripter Jessie Nelson is aboard to write the screenplay.

Current wishes are to get the film in theaters as early as next year. The Variety article reporting the news doesn't say if any of the principals are guaranteed to return, but that Disney "will likely try to bring back the first film's stars." On top of Adams, that means bringing back James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon.

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