Will There Be A Nobody Sequel? Here's What We Know
(Welcome to Will There Be a Sequel?, a series where we answer that question and explore what comes next.)
2021 was a bit of an uneven, bizarre year for movies. Yes, it was largely a recovery year when compared to 2020, but it wasn't a straight line trending upward. For the most part, it was major franchise entries like Marvel flicks or horror movies that managed to become successful. However, there were a couple of movies that managed to possibly birth new franchises, and one of those movies was "Nobody."
Hailing from the creators of "John Wick" and starring Bob Odenkirk ("Better Call Saul") in the leading role, the action flick managed to find a lot of love during its run in theaters, and that love extended to audiences who discovered it from the comfort of their home too. The good news is, it looks like a sequel may be in the cards. We're here to go over what we know about the prospect of "Nobody 2," what has been said, and why it might be a good idea.
Nobody 2 script was already in the works
For those who are hoping to see the adventures of kickass Bob Odenkirk continue, there is hope. According to director Ilya Naishuller, a sequel is being written. In an interview from June 2021, Naishuller explained that Derek Kolstad, the writer behind the "John Wick" movies, has begun penning a script:
"There's plenty of stories that can be told in this world, with the character Hutch. I know that Derek (Kolstad) has begun work on the sequel."
Unfortunately, no further details were provided. But Naishuller did go on to make it clear that the sequel has not officially been handed the green light by the studio, adding, "Whether it'll happen, time will tell, but all the necessary seeds have been planted."
The first movie clearly paved the way for a continuation, not to mention building a world with plenty of room for expansion, should Universal Pictures decide that's something they want to do.
The door was left wide open
Just to recap, the end of "Nobody" certainly left the door open for a continuation. The ending sees Hutch (Bob Odenkirk) and his father David (Christopher Lloyd), along with his brother Harry (RZA) taking out the Kuznetsov (Aleksey Serebryakov) and his band of hired guns. Hutch then moved his family into a new home in another suburb far removed from the one he had just been living quite peacefully in before he had to burn it to the ground. The movie even ends with him taking a mysterious phone call, seemingly setting the stage for another mission.
Plus, there is a little post-credits stinger that sees David and Harry driving all of Hutch's weaponry to the new house in an RV. So it seems that Hutch isn't quite content to give up on his old ways. There is plenty of room for another adventure in that world, even if it's with an entirely new threat. Those characters have lots of room to grow.
It has breakout sequel potential
From a financial point of view, "Nobody 2" would make sense. The movie carried a reported $16 million budget and took in $55 million worldwide. It also garnered largely favorable reviews from critics and moviegoers alike. That $55 million box office take is a perfectly solid number, representing nearly 3.5 times its budget in ticket sales. That doesn't account for marketing, but we also need to remember that the movie was released when the pandemic was still more of a concern for the average moviegoer back in late March 2021. Vaccine rollout had hardly begun. It was a different time.
Even so, let's look at "John Wick" as a basis for comparison. The first Keanu Reeves action flick was a bit quiet, earning $76 million against a $30 million budget. But it had what we like to refer to as a breakout sequel, with "John Wick: Chapter 2" taking in a stellar $171 million globally. Word of mouth and people catching on once the movie made it to home video helped the follow-up do much better business. Similarly, "John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum" earned an even more impressive $325 million worldwide.
"Nobody" could carve out a similar path, with positive word of mouth and home video taking a potential sequel to even greater heights at the box office. So while it doesn't have the green light as of this writing, it makes sense on paper, and it wouldn't be remotely surprising if this one comes together.
Bob Odenkirk is confident in a sequel happening
Perhaps the best news came in February 2022, when Odenkirk himself was asked about the prospect of a "Nobody" sequel coming together. At the time, the "Better Call Saul" star said:
"We are working on making that happen. Universal has been very upbeat and welcoming. Derek and I have talked story. It's not a sure thing yet, but we're working on it. I think the signs point to yes."
That's good new for fans hoping to see the world of "Nobody" expand into a whole franchise. Does it have the potential to follow in the footsteps of the "John Wick" franchise? With writer Derek Kolstad on board, it's not out of the realm of possibility. We just hope the writer can keep the momentum going, and if director Ilya Naishuller gets back in the director's chair, that would be a good sign too.