It's been a long time since we heard anything about a sequel to Wanted. Part of the reason is...well, I don't think anybody's actually dying to see one. Sure the original turned out to be a balls out, 4th wall breaking action hit, launching the Hollywood career of Mark Millar(Kick-Ass) and evolving him from a loud mouth comic book writer into a loud mouth wannabe filmmaker. In March of last year, the ever talkative Millar said that filming was set to take place later in the year, with a plan for the sequel to hit theaters at the end of 2011. That ain't happenin'. Production hit a stumbling block when Angelina Jolie quite openly refused attempts to be brought back, making the headshot her character took at the end of the first film more fatal than I think was intended. Rumors have been swirling that Kristen Stewart might take over, with James McAvoy legally bound to return.
Despite all the snags, it looks like Wanted 2 is definitely going to happen. Derek Haas, one of the writers of the original film along with Michael Brandt, tweeted that they'd been hired back to pen the sequel. He then went on to tell The Wrap that it will “pick up Wesley a few years later and go back in for another round.” Um, ok.
That doesn't tell us who else of the original cast may return. Would Common come back as the Gunsmith? And what about director Timur Bekmambetov? The more I think about it, the more I'm digging the idea of Stewart stealing the co-lead from McAvoy, if only to see how she handles her weapons.
