We’re coming up on the fifth anniversary of the theatrical release of Alita: Battle Angel, and talks surrounding a potential sequel continue to flow. With Robert Rodriguez and his collaborators “trying like hell” to make Alita 2 happen, the fanbase to one of the best sci-fi movies in recent memory has kept feeding into those aspirations with their own efforts.
Which has yet again led Rodriguez himself to keep the fires of the Alita Army burning with his latest update of optimism. The Spy Kids: Armageddon director spoke with The Wrap during his promotion of his latest contribution to the 2023 movie schedule, giving loyal fans another reason to keep pressing the issue. This recent round of talk yielded the following optimistic update:
Yeah, Jim and I always talk about how we’d love to do another Alita. That studio [20th Century] was bought by another studio [Disney]. They’re starting to make movies now. But that for a while 20th Century wasn’t making any of their movies. I think now you’re seeing a few rolling out. We would love to.
The 20th Century Studios brand has been on the rise in the years after the Fox/Disney merger completed. With the shingle seeing new releases head not only to Hulu but also to theaters, movies like The Boogeyman, and of course the Avatar sequels, have been lighting up the silver screen.
Engines now warmed and running, the Disney subsidiary is poised to be of great help to extending the Alita franchise’s reach, whether streaming or theatrical is the hypothetically chosen platform. Which is fantastic, as Robert Rodriguez’s previous Alita 2 update is all anyone needed to be convinced that the love for Rosa Salazar-led saga was still strong.
Those who know their Alita: Battle Angel facts know that the way the project fell into the Desperado director’s lap proved to be the ultimate test of devotion. Rewriting the blueprint from James Cameron’s blueprint out of the goodness of his heart, Rodriguez’s dedication gave this potential ongoing IP a foundation to be built on.
In a year where James Cameron’s recent house sale seemed to confirm that multiple Alita sequels could be in the works, it feels like the hopes for another chapter are starting to swell again. Maybe Robert Rodriguez’s love for this project is making him play things a bit closer to the vest, out of the interest of not getting people’s hopes up. At the very least, it doesn't sound like the Disney brass has flat out said no to more Alita.
No matter what the truth may be, the Alita Army will surely keep pushing to return to Iron City after hearing such sentiments; which only matches that “try like hell” energy that’s still a crucial part of the Alita: Battle Angel fandom. If you’ve somehow escaped the hoopla and haven’t seen this Robert Rodriguez film, at the time of this writing it’s streaming for anyone with a Hulu subscription.
