The Harder They Fall Sequel Could Happen, Was Envisioned As A Trilogy

"The Harder They Fall" is bearing down on its release next week like a band of buckaroos riding up on a moving train called Netflix. The all-Black Western earned solid reviews coming out of its premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, and if nothing else, it would be hard to deny that its stacked cast holds a lot of promise. How often do we get to see Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, and Lakeith Stanfield lined up for the same film?

Well, it could happen more than once, presuming some of them survive the clash of cowboy (and girl) gangs. At least, that's what director and co-screenwriter Jeymes Samuel envisions. 

/Film's own Shania Russell recently interviewed Samuels, who is making his feature-length directorial debut with "The Harder They Fall" after helming the related short film, "They Die by Dawn." He called the short film "part one" of his "foray into the Old West," and it sounds like "The Harder They Fall" leaves room for a potential sequel. Samuels explained:

"It was a short film, so really 'The Harder They Fall' is book one. I'm always going to go to the Old West. I've always imagined 'The Harder They Fall' as a three-parter, as it were, a prequel and a sequel. And I've always wanted to flesh out that story, but I'm always going to go to the Old West. 

"I love Westerns too much. I can't do nothing about it. I try, but I can't. I feel like John Malkovich in 'Dangerous Liaisons' speaking to Glenn Close about his love for Michelle Pfeiffer. I tried to kill it, but I can't, at present. It's beyond my control. It's beyond my control. I love Westerns."

Jeymes comes from a musical background; "They Die by Dawn" actually accompanied his last studio album, "They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories." He also served as the executive music supervisor for the soundtrack album to Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby."

Alluding to the ending of "The Harder They Fall" (without spoiling it), he drew an unlikely comparison himself between himself and zombies and the old Vera Lynn song, "We'll Meet Again:"

"Without spoilers, 'The Harder They Fall' always ended the way 'The Harder They Fall' ended because I'm coming back, I'm coming back. Like those zombies that won't go down [mimes gunshot noises] 'bam, bam, bam.' But they keep coming, 'bam bam bam bam bam,' they keep coming. That's me with the Old West. 

"And also, when people tell me they don't like Westerns, 'I don't like Westerns. I don't like Westerns.' Yes you do. You like stories, right? You like film, right? It's just what you've been given by westerns, you don't like. Okay, watch this teaser, watch this trailer, and tell me you don't like Westerns. It was like, 'I told you.' 

"So, with the cowboy and the cowgirl aesthetic in cinema, my ethos is like Vera Lynn, (sings) 'we'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again one sunny day.' I'm coming back, and back, and back. You know what I mean?"

"The Harder They Fall" hits Netflix on Wednesday, November 3, 2021.