In 2016, a filmmaker crafted a horror movie with a budget under $5 million, and horror enthusiasts worldwide collectively returned $150 million. That filmmaker was David F. Sandberg, and the film was Lights Out. Clearly, those impressive figures haven’t been forgotten, as it has just been announced that New Line is finally moving ahead with a sequel.
Regarding the specifics, the studio has enlisted screenwriter Connor Osborn McIntyre to pen the script – a hiring that certainly warrants attention. He is the writer behind “Animals,” the upcoming thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck. Last year, his original screenplay “American Midnight” landed on the Black List (an annual compilation of Hollywood’s most acclaimed unproduced scripts) before swiftly being acquired by Netflix.
Most of the original team members are also making a return. Sandberg and screenwriter Eric Heisserer will produce alongside Lawrence Grey, who has been involved since the very beginning, and James Wan’s Atomic Monster banner.
This doesn’t feel like a studio merely dusting off an old intellectual property. Instead, it appears the very people who created the first film genuinely want to revisit its chilling universe.
What will the sequel be about? No one is saying. Plot details, to use a fitting phrase, are being “kept in the dark” – a line someone clearly enjoyed writing. Lights Out originated as a short film Sandberg made with his wife, actress Lotta Losten, centered on a terrifying character who only appears when the lights go out.
It’s a simple premise, and in line with my philosophy, simplicity executed exceptionally well is doubly effective. To see if that holds true here, we’ll have to wait and see.
Have you seen the original film?