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William Brent Bell (The Boy, Separation) stepped into the director’s chair for Orphan: First Kill, a prequel film that solidified Esther’s killer icon status. The filmmaker revealed that he’s actively developing a follow-up, ensuring Esther’s killer hijinks will continue.
“We’re developing a third one now. The franchise’s rulebook has been opened up to where anything is possible,” Bell said in an interview with THR. “And knowing where we are in the process already, I’m extremely excited about the twists and turns that we have in store.”
The prequel, written by David Coggeshall, saw Isabelle Fuhrman reprising the role of Esther thanks to clever production trickery.
In Orphan: First Kill, “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.”
Fuhrman faced off against Julia Stiles in the prequel movie, and Vera Farmiga in the original film. Who do you want to see Esther battle next?
While Bell didn’t divulge any plot details for the third entry, he did tease of its direction, “now that we’ve gone another direction with the second one, the franchise’s rulebook has been opened up to where anything is possible.” And, “knowing where we are in the process already, I’m extremely excited about the twists and turns that we have in store.”
After making $12.2 million worldwide in theaters in 2022 – the film only hit a maximum of 557 theaters at the height of its run here in the United States – it should come as no surprise that the franchise would likely return.
Stay tuned for more details as they arrive. In the meantime, Bell’s latest horror effort, Lord of Misrule, released on VOD and in theaters last week.