Anthony Hopkins Joins The Father Sequel The Son

"The Father" cinematic universe has arrived. After nabbing the Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay and making everyone you know cry about the unforgiving march of time, director Florian Zeller and iconic actor/cat man Anthony Hopkins are back at it again! 

Hopkins has officially teamed up with Zeller for his second film "The Son" and we're all holding our breaths, waiting to see what horrible aspect of aging will be converted into tears on your face next. You can file this baby directly under "films I never thought would get a sequel and yet here we are, why is this happening? Is it for money reasons?" 

And maybe it is for money reasons, but the drive behind "The Son" seems to be Zeller's working relationship Hopkins. In a press statement quoted by The Hollywood Reporter, Zeller lays it all out, saying, "After our journey on 'The Father,' I couldn't make another film without Anthony ... He was the first one to read 'The Son's' script, as one of its characters was written especially for him. Having him by our side to tell this new story has been an honor, a profound joy and very emotional."

Despite Hopkins' early script access, he's far from the first actor to be officially cast in this film. Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, and Zen McGrath have all been announced and confirmed for "The Son," which recently finished filming in London. While the titles and Hopkins appearance definitely link "The Father" and "The Son," it's not a sequel in the traditional sense. 

Zeller has confirmed that this story will follow a different family dealing with their own complex problems, including divorce and the effect it can have on young children. While we don't know what Hopkins role will be in the film yet, hopefully he gets to flex different acting muscles than he did as man suffering with dementia in "The Father."

Even if these films have more of a "Black Swan" and "The Wrestler" connection than a "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" connection, it's hard not to picture these films being a part of a sad and dramatic extended universe. 

What existential horrors could be explored in "The Sister?" What dark secrets could be unearthed in "The Cousin?" Could the entire twisted storyline be wrapped up with "The Mother?" Is this all just a prequel leading up to the events of "The Stepfather?" (I'm joking ... and yet.) There are a lot of off-kilter, and yet completely universal, family stories Zeller could tell, and it would be interesting to watch him try. Also, how can you say no to Anthony Hopkins?