Shark-themed horror movies are becoming a staple of summertime. The trend began whenThe Shallowsturned out to be one of 2016’s most lauded thrillers. 2017 took us47 Meters Downand, tonight,The Megswims into US theaters nationwide. There’s just something about the lazy days of summer that makes us crave the sights and sounds of aquatic mayhem! The wave of shark-themed horror movies is already set to continue in 2019, with today bringing word that the sequel to47 Meters Down: The Next Chapteris in the works at Entertainment Studios.
No, it isn’t called48 Meters Down, as was reported when the project was first announced back in September, 2017; the film has been redubbed47 Meters Down: The Next Chapter. The project is being helmed by Johannes Roberts who directed the original47 Meters Downfrom a script he co-wrote with Ernest Riera. Plot details for the sequel are scant at this time, but early reports suggest the film will be set in Brazil and will feature anew batch of ill-fated vacationerslooking for some underwater thrills.
The behind-the-scenes story of47 Meters Down’s journey to big screens in 2017 has almost as many twists as the plot of the film. Back in August of 2016, the movie was set for a straight-to-DVD dump from Dimension under the titleIn the Deep. Just 2 weeks before physical copies were sent to retailers (and after review copies had been sent to major media outlets for reviews) Freestyle Media acquired the film for a whopping 7 figures. Freestyle subsequently rebrandedIn the Deepas47 Meters Downwith plans to give the film the theatrical release it deserved in 2017. Freestyle’s plan paid off in spades, as the film has grossed over $60M to date from a budget of $5.5M.
Roberts is no stranger to directing big-budget horror movies; in addition to47 Meters Downin 2017, he helmedThe Other Side of the Doorin 2016 and this year’sThe Strangers: Prey at Night. Today’s announcement came with a teaser for47 Meters Down: The Next Chapter, which will keep the summertime shark-themed horror trend alive in 2019. It’ll be a while before we get casting news, plot details, or a real trailer, but we’ll keep our ears to the ground to bring you additional details as they emerge. This news came our way viaColliderwho got the exclusive.
