Summary
- Despite director’s hesitation, a potential Longlegs sequel could explore character development and psychic abilities.
- The success of Longlegs at the box office makes a sequel viable despite Perkins’ reluctance.
- A Longlegs sequel could introduce a new serial killer and provide a fresh, female villain with enhanced character exploration.
When a horror movie is well-crafted, it’s no wonder that audiences are hungry for more. There’s no question that Longlegs was one of the most talked about horror movies of 2024. I went in with high hopes as I love Maika Monroe’s horror movie performances and while I appreciate the artistry and direction of Longlegs, I didn’t think it was a completely satisfying film.
But, due to the love that horror fans have for Longlegs and the buzz surrounding the movie, I’m not the only one wondering if there is going to be a second film. Perkins hasn’t said that he wants a Longlegs sequel, but I think it would be a good idea because it could fix some problems with the original.
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Here’s Why I Want A Longlegs Sequel
Although my biggest complaint with Longlegs is what I found to be an unsatisfying ending and the explanation for his killing sprees, I also wanted more from Maika Monroe’s character Lee Harker. I think that a Longlegs sequel could solve this issue and shed more light on who Lee is and explore her childhood more. What if the sequel took place several years in the future and featured seasoned FBI agent Lee as a mentor to a younger agent? That would continue the creepy story, ensure that Monroe could still star in the second movie, and develop her character more. Lee has some childhood trauma that she has to work through, and this informs how she lives her life. Like Scream and Halloween’s exploration of final girl trauma, a Longlegs sequel could show how Lee is faring now that she’s had more time away from her tough childhood.
Perhaps a Longlegs sequel could focus on a new serial killer who is following in Longlegs’s footsteps. Lee would use everything she learned the first time around to work on this new case with a new young agent. This would put her in a position of power and since she would be more experienced and confident this time around, the movie could explore her personality more. Unlike horror movies that hide the villain, Longlegs had an epic reveal of Nicolas Cage’s character and includes plenty of creepy moments featuring him. A second Longlegs villain would have to look as terrifying and odd as Cage’s character. Perhaps there could be a female villain, which would set the sequel apart from the original movie.
Most of all, I would like for a Longlegs sequel to explore Lee’s psychic abilities more. While this was briefly mentioned at the beginning of the movie, I was interested in this part of her character and wanted to see more. If a Longlegs sequel was about an older Lee, then she would have had time to figure out her abilities and integrate them into her job. Lee could also use her intuition to solve the current case and see some psychic visions. This would make a potential Longlegs 2 one of the best horror movie sequels since it would be so compelling to watch.
What Did Oz Perkins Say About A Longlegs Sequel?
In an interview with Dextero in July 2024, Oz Perkins answered a question about a sequel to Longlegs and didn’t sound like he wanted to pursue the idea. The filmmaker said:
“Let’s see how it does at the box office. That’s what informs all things. I think that, yes, of course, once you’ve settled on something that seems to work and people enjoy it, there’s the nagging impulse to think, ‘We could probably do that again and stretch it out a little bit.”
Perkins continued:
“But there’s also something glorious about leaving things alone, right? That’s harder to do, isn’t it? Isn’t it harder to leave something alone than it is to try to do it again?”
There were not only great 2024 horror movie performances but last year was an impressive one for the horror box office, too. Perkins mentioned that one deciding factor for a Longlegs sequel would be how it fared at the box office. According to Variety, Longlegs did very well at the box office. It was the independent movie that made the most money in 2024. According to Box Office Mojo, the horror film grossed $74,346,140 at the domestic box office and $126,942,386 globally. Since, as the Vancouver Sun noted, the movie’s budget was less than $10 million, this was impressive.
If Perkins wanted to make a Longlegs 2, the first movie’s box office numbers would definitely be good enough. I’m excited about the upcoming Ready Or Not sequel because I think the original created an interesting and eerie world that could continue to exist, and I think that a Longlegs 2 would be fascinating.
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