South African actor Sharlto Copley shared a potential timeline regarding the District 9 sequel, as the hypothetical District 10 movie has been in high demand ever since the first movie debuted to unexpectedly end the 00s on a cinematic high. The 2009 sci-fi sleeper hit District 9 centers on an alien refugee camp outside of Johannesburg, South Africa following the appearance of a spaceship above the city. Wikus van der Merwe (Copley), a mild-mannered employee for the Multinational United (MNU) Department of Alien Affairs, is sent inside the camp to enforce the company's strict rules and remove any contraband. In a tale about racism, humanity, and segregation, Wikus finds himself contaminated by a mysterious liquid that begins transforming him into one of the alien creatures.
The Neill Blomkamp-directed movie became a huge phenomenon in 2009, as District 9 was made with a shockingly low $30 million and made $210 million worldwide. Given how great the practical and digital effects are even for the time, Blomkamp's District 9 rightly received praise both for its engaging narrative and the outstanding visuals, with many commenting the movie looked far better than its budget should have allowed. Unfortunately, while the effects in every following Blomkamp movie have been stunning, they haven't had the same impact as District 9, and have gotten underwhelming receptions from critics and audiences. However, District 10 could change that. Both Blomkamp and longtime collaborator Copley have teased District 10 for years — and recent conversations show the District 9 sequel is still on their minds.
Sharlto Copley Teased A District 9 Sequel After Gran Turismo
District 9 proved to be a breakout film for both Copley and Blomkamp. With widespread critical acclaim and box office success, audiences immediately wondered if there were plans for a sequel film. Blomkamp teased that the District 9 sequel might be near, claiming that he is "still working on it." Copley joined the discussion and revealed that he has recently been in talks with Blomkamp, and he believes that they may work on the movie following the director's next film, a Gran Turismo movie adaptation starring David Harbour. Gran Turismo is out on August 11, 2023, so District 10's development could be just around the corner.
Copley's unexpected District 10 update (via Radio Times) included exciting news, detailing the potential timeline, and the actor even jokingly called out Blomkamp for his lies, "Neill's got to stop lying to the public, because it's creating havoc. It's like if you say you're going to do it, dude, just do it because now I'm sitting trying to..." Copley recognized that Blomkamp continues to tease viewers with announcements regarding the possible sequel, but the actor seemed to share some feelings with frustrated District 9 fans waiting for the director to firmly commit to the project.
However, Copley also acknowledged that Blomkamp wants to properly time the film's story with what's happening in the world. "It was just there was a timing thing with what was going on socio-politically that he was concerned about. He just wants to sort of time it right." For Copley, this means that audiences may have to wait a few more years until the District 9 sequel begins shooting "So it looks like it's going to be another two years. But you know, what's another two years once it's been like, what, 12? So hopefully we're shooting in like two years time. Let's see." While this is far from the District 10 release date many have spent years waiting for, it is still incredibly positive to know the District 9 sequel is far from dead in the water.
What Director Neil Blomkamp Has Said About District 10
The conclusion of District 9 leaves many story possibilities open regarding the potential sequel, but as well over a decade has gone by without District 10, it might be too late. However, Blomkamp's commitment to making it relevant could keep the sequel refreshing. The director expressed that he wants District 10 to be as stripped down as possible. Blomkamp explained, "I think the approach of the first film is correct; it’s just really a question of the script... If there’s slightly more stuff happening in the script, then you need slightly more money. But I think it would still be as stripped-down and bare-bones as we could make it.
Though it sounds like District 10 would be stripped down due to budgetary constraints, it'd be able to carry over the tone of the original movie. Blomkamp also noted that District 10 could deviate from the original storyline, meaning that it'd be a standalone sequel with a new narrative in the same world. That also means that Wikus wouldn't be in the movie, so even though Copley is giving updates on the District 9 sequel, he might not even be in it. Either way, Copley is right about how often Blomkamp talks about District 10 without there being any concrete information, as the director has yet to deliver anything substantial beyond the news that he's been thinking about it.
A Sequel To District 9 Isn't Confirmed
With Blomkamp set to release Gran Turismo in 2023, a 2024-2025 release date for the District 9 sequel may be possible, and District 10 needs to explain some unanswered questions. Unfortunately, with relatively little news to go on recently, a two-year window to start filming might be sooner than what is realistically expected. Not only that but, ultimately, a District 9 sequel still hasn't officially been confirmed or greenlit by Sony (the studio behind District 9). This isn't too surprising though, as Neill Blomkamp has had a far from universally successful run as a director, and District 9's success is a rule-breaking exception when it comes to his filmography.
If the wait for District 10 has been due to studio trepidation this is somewhat understandable, even with the cult status of District 9. District 9 benefited from a viral marketing campaign that couldn't be repeated with District 10, and a sequel arriving over a decade after a viral hit would be hard to market. District 9 was made with a relatively low budget too, but to keep up with today's seamless digital effects and CGI, District 10 would cost way more to make, not to mention Copley's salary demands if Wikus is written into the movie. Between the cost of post-production, salaries, and how much Blomkamp's previous movies cost (Elysium had a $115 million budget), District 10 could have a budget four times District 9's budget, which isn't ideal for the studio.
Source: Radio Times