While fans might be clamoring for more of the self-aware robot, here’s why Chappie 2 will never happen. Neill Blomkamp made a huge impression with his 2009 debut District 9. The movie was a wildly ambitious project that managed to combine gory action and fantastic effects while examining topics like xenophobia and racism through a sci-fi lens. The movie also introduced audiences to the mad genius of leading man Sharlto Copley.
Blomkamp’s next movie was Elysium starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. While it again featured some cool action and great world building the story felt muddled and confused, and the director has since admitted he feels he could have done a better job with the material. His most recent movie was another sci-fi drama called Chappie, which follows a police robot who becomes sentient after being stolen by criminals. Copley played the title character while Hugh Jackman and Sigourney Weaver featured in key supporting roles.
Chappie played like an R-rated cross between RoboCop and Short Circuit and while the movie hardly lacked ambition, it was greeted with a mostly negative reception. The movie has already attracted a cult following, but while some fans are eager to see what the title character does next, Chappie 2 definitely isn’t happening.
Chappie Was A Box-Office Disappointment
While bad reviews don’t necessarily spell doom for potential sequels, in the case of Chappie 2, the underperformance of the first movie definitely does. Chappie grossed just over $100 million worldwide on an estimated budget of $49 million. Factoring in marketing and other costs it’s unlikely the movie turned a profit.
Blomkamp mapped out Chappie as a trilogy, but while the movie features something of a cliffhanger ending, where Chappie brings back both his creator Deon and “Mommy” Yolandi as robots, there’s been no sign of the studio pushing for a Chappie 2.
Neill Blomkamp Has Ruled Out Chappie 2
Neill Blomkamp has repeatedly stated his pride in the final movie, and how painful its failure was to him on a personal level. While it’s clear he loves the character, he’s also a realist and has confirmed a sequel won’t happen due to the tepid box-office of the original. The director bounced back from the heartache of the film’s failure by opening Oats Studios and making a bunch of cool short films like Rakka and Zygote.
Neill Blomkamp Is Making RoboCop Returns Next
While it’s not quite Chappie 2, Blomkamp’s next project is legacy sequel RoboCop Returns. This reboot of the franchise will be a direct follow-up the classic 1987 original and Blomkamp hopes to make the movie feel like original RoboCop helmer Paul Verhoeven directed it. Returns is also based on an unused sequel draft from the original movie’s writers.
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