There are some movies that come out and make bundles of money, making sequels quickly seem like a good idea. There are some ideas for franchises, like the recent foray into The Dark Universe, that fall apart after poor critical or box office reception. Master and Commander: The Far Side of The World was one of those latter movies, making enough money on a $150 million budget that it wasn't a total flop, although the studio did lose money overall. Despite the lackluster $212 million box office intake, the movie did earn good reviews, and Russell Crowe has been a big proponent of Master and Commander 2 over the years. He most recently said that there is still a chance we could get another movie, noting,
For the Aubrey-Maturin lovers, I do hear whispers indeed that a second voyage is perhaps potentially pre-proposed a possibility. So O'Brian affectionates and aficionados, let 20th Fox know of your pleasure.
This isn't the first time that Russell Crowe has teased the potential for Master and Commander 2. Every now and again, news about a potential sequel surfaces. Nearly a decade ago, Crowe mentioned there was "a long way to go" but that discussions were being bandied about. Like the Twitter comment above, Crowe has also previously mentioned the possibility of a second movie on social media, although over the years, plans have gotten no further than the actor's comments. Crowe has also asked the fans to talk to the studio previously, noting that the property is complicated because it was a joint venture with a lot of companies involved, including Fox but also Universal, Miramax and Samuel Goldwyn films. So even if Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World had been a huge box office success it might have been difficult to make another.
Still, clearly the actor is holding out hope for another movie. Master and Commander does have several things going for it. First, the original movie was well-liked, if not highly viewed at the box office. It runs at 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and nabs an 81 on Metacritic, so assumedly there would be some interest there. Secondly, Master and Commander is based on novels written by Patrick O'Brien. There are 20 titles in the series about Captain Jack Aubrey and physician Stephen Maturin, so there should theoretically be plenty of material that could still be mined for the big screen.
Getting that premise off the ground is still complicated, and Russell Crowe definitely doesn't seem to be promising anything above. Regardless, it's clear he really likes the character and fondly remembers the 2003 movie or he wouldn't be talking about the potential to make a follow-up. It would also be another big lead for Crowe, whose only big role in 2017 was in the The Mummy, part of that aforementioned Dark Universe franchise. We'll let you know if any more tangible information surfaces in the coming months.
