Warning: mild spoilers for A Quiet Place are in play. If you haven't seen the film, and want to stay unspoiled, bookmark this page for future reading and head on out.
When something like A Quiet Place hits theaters with as much impact as it did this past weekend, sequel talk is inevitable. A sleeper hit striking like lightning, and packing a hell of a punch, is always something that Hollywood wants to cash in on, with sequels being the biggest and most often used method to do so. But is A Quiet Place 2 a good idea? Well, that depends on who you ask, as some aren't as optimistic as I am about a potential sequel's chances.
Bringing back the world of A Quiet Place for, at the very least, one more entry isn't a terrible thing, in my honest opinion. In particular, there are certain aspects to the first film that could really lead to future success, further cementing the first film's place as a modern landmark in horror history. Let's discuss this further.
The Abbott's Story Isn't Over Yet
After introducing us to, and putting us through the wringer with, the Abbott family in A Quiet Place, seeing Emily Blunt's face light up in dark glee as she prepares to take her revenge is the sweetest ending possible. But once the euphoria wears off, we start to wonder what happens next. Are there really just two more monsters? Does she defeat them with the help of Reagan? Even if they do defeat the monsters, what's next? The film may have left us with a fantastic cliffhanger, but when we've come to root for the Abbotts as hard as we did in A Quiet Place, the least they can do is give us A Quiet Place 2 to wrap up their story.
There's Room For Other One-Off Films In This Universe
While we do want to see a definitive continuation / wrap-up to the story of the Abbotts, we can also concede that it may not be the best idea for a sequel. That cliffhanger does work, and if this first family of silence is off the table, that's fine and dandy. But given that A Quiet Place sets up both a huge invasion / conflict backstory, as well as a general dynamic of low dialogue / high tension film, both of those routes could yield another inventive entry in the series. Not to mention, there were a handful of farms that were seemingly picked off one by one in A Quiet Place, so seeing how they fared would keep the same brilliant constraints on the Quiet Place universe, without having to touch the Abbotts.
It Could Help Sharpen The Series' Approach
Ultimately, if there's going to be a sequel to A Quiet Place, all involved need to think of one question going in: how do they top the original? Much like Cloverfield is a shot in the arm to sci-fi anthology storytelling, A Quiet Place could be a great gateway to another series that explores a similar concept across various settings. Different locations across various countries around the world would lead to more clever spins on the first film's formula. With the basic rules in place, any new setting is a new obstacle course for a potential Quiet Place sequel to race through; and revisiting the concept of the anthology, we could see new families struggling to survive the beasts that are attracted by the merest sound.
Horror Needs A Franchise Like A Quiet Place
Ultimately, the best reason that A Quiet Place 2 is a good idea is the fact that the horror world needs a franchise like this one. Reliant on tension and a well-crafted character narrative, the first film gave horror fans everything they wanted, while also appealing to overall moviegoers that may shy away from the genre's reputation. Landing a successful sequel would only help bring more unique audience members to the horror table, allowing them to possibly dip their toes into the deeper ends of the pool. Every genre has its champions that reach across the board to tout their merits and bring in new fans, and A Quiet Place could be the first horror movie since The Ring that might just do that.
