Back in March, Valiant Comics entered the superhero movie game with Bloodshot, which starred Vin Diesel as the eponymous protagonist. Unfortunately, Bloodshot’s theatrical release coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic becoming widespread, resulting in its run on the big screen being cut short. However, don’t think that means we’ve seen the last of Diesel’s Ray Garrison, as Bloodshot 2 is currently in development.
Dan Mintz, DMG Entertainment's (Valiant Comics’ parent company) Creative Head and Filmmaker, recently sat down with Comic Book Resources to talk about Bloodshot, which included discussing how the movie quickly pivoted to a VOD release following the movie theater closures (as well as returned to select AMC Theatres locations in August). As a result, DMG was impressed enough with Bloodshot’s overall performance that it’s confident in moving forward with a sequel. In Mintz’s words
I think [Bloodshot] was very successful in that respect, a lot of people saw it and it did very well in the post-release rollout but you can't use the same evaluation process, pre-COVID, to this. [Are] Vin Diesel and all those people going to still continue? Yes, because it did so well and the response to it has been so well, it's just that the response has been in a non-transparent environment, as opposed to a transparent environment like box office numbers.
While Marvel and DC currently dominate the superhero movie market, Valiant unquestionably has enough characters and properties to make its own dent in that realm. So while Bloodshot was dealt a rough blow by current events earlier this year, Dan Mintz was pleased enough with how the movie did in the long run that there’s movement on making Bloodshot 2 happen. Of course, because it’s so early into the developmental process, Bloodshot 2 likely a ways off from reaching the public, and there’s also no word on who else from the first movie will join Diesel for another round of action.
Just like in the comics, Bloodshot followed U.S. Marine Ray Garrison being killed and then resurrected by experimental nanite technology, which gives him special abilities like super strength and advanced healing. The downside is that he suffers from amnesia and is manipulated into being a weapon for a mysterious organization. Vin Diesel’s costars included Eiza González, Sam Heughan, Toby Kebbell, Guy Pearce and Lamorne Morris. David S.F. Wilson directed the feature, and Jeff Wadlow and Erich Heisserer tackled the script.
It’s also worth mentioning that Bloodshot, which was distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, was once intended to be the first movie in a Valiant Cinematic Universe. However, last year, it was announced that the next Valiant movie, Harbinger, will be distributed by Paramount Pictures, and the plan is to keep other Valiant properties at Paramount too. So it remains unclear if the Bloodshot movies will be part of the VCU, or if it will have to be a completely separate film series due to the studio shift.
Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on how Bloodshot 2 is coming along. In the meantime, keep track of the movies on course to arrive next year with our 2021 release schedule.
