Talk To Me Director Explains Why Its Horror Sequel Is Taking So Long, And I’m So Bummed

It’s been nearly two years since Danny and Michael Philippou burst into the horror scene with the awesome A24 flickTalk to Me. The film is an unflinching, grief-laced take on possession and, upon its release, it left audiences shaken and critics buzzing. After its release, the aforementioned studio wasted no time announcing a sequel to the horror hit. Unfortunately, if you thought we’d be seeing Talk to Me 2 on the 2025 movie schedule or anytime soon, you might want to take a seat.

The Philippou brothers just opened up about their crowded creative slate as well as their gestating sequel. While speaking with IndieWire, Danny Philippou revealed a key reason why the follow-up isn't exactly being fast-tracked:

To make things more complicated (and awesome, honestly), the duo is juggling a lot. Their next film, the upcoming horror flick Bring Her Back, is still in post-production, and it already promises to be darker, gorier, and even more emotionally raw than their breakout hit. After that? Michael Philippou is off to Mexico to film a documentary on death match wrestling, while Danny continues working on a new horror concept that’s still under wraps.

As for when we can expect Talk to Me 2, Michael laid out the current (unofficial and slightly soul-crushing) timeline:

But before anyone gets too hopeful, Danny jumped in with a dose of reality (and sarcasm). He added to his brother's timeline:

I mean… ouch. So I guess we'd better not hold our breath waiting for the movie. Of course, it's not like they’re just procrastinating, since the brothers are staying busy with some exciting and original work.

Based on an extended look at their latest movie CinemaBlend was lucky enough to see, the upcoming Bring Her Back is shaping up to be deeply personal, rooted in real-life grief the brothers experienced during writing. The death of their cousin’s child and later a close friend influenced both the emotional intensity and thematic depth of the film. They’re diving into horror to explore what happens when grief never ends -- something they felt they only scratched the surface of in Talk to Me.

Both films share a through-line of spiritual possession, but BHB seems to lean harder into tragedy than terror. So yeah, the Philippous are doing the work, and it’s clear they’re not interested in churning out sequels just for the sake of it. But, still, for fans of the original -- especially those who saw Talk to Me as a modern classic in an era where we're drowning in incredible original horror flicks -- it’s hard not to be disappointed by the long wait.

In the meantime, Bring Her Back -- just one of a few upcoming A24 movies on the docket -- should serve as a comfort to fans. The film hits theaters on May 30. But, if you need me in the meantime, I’ll be right here… whispering to the hand… waiting for Talk to Me 2. And, if you've yet to watch its predecessor, stream it with a Netflix subscription now.