Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Electric State.

Even though The Electric State seems to have set up a potential sequel, it seems unlikely that The Electric State 2 will see the light of day in the near future. Based on Simon Stålenhag’s graphic novel of the same name, The Electric State follows a straightforward narrative that is not entirely loyal to its source material. Instead of dabbling with serious themes and adopting a dark tone like the original novel, the Netflix sci-fi movie presents a more family-friendly take on the ideas presented by Simon Stålenhag.

However, it stays true to many character beats from the original novel and avoids paving the way for a full-fledged franchise. In many ways, The Electric State has a self-contained narrative that does not have to be stretched with follow-up sequels or spin-offs. At the same time, though, the movie seems to intentionally maintain an air of ambiguity surrounding certain character beats, which could be further explored in a sequel. Owing to this, it is hard not to wonder if The Electric State 2 can happen someday.

The Electric State’s Ending Makes A Sequel Possible

The Film Ends With A Hopeful Cliffhanger

In The Electric State‘s ending arc, Michelle makes the world a better place by unplugging her brother. Since her brother’s consciousness shared a symbiotic relationship with the neurocasters’ network, his death ensures that even the overarching network collapses. As a result, all the human-controlled drones fall to the ground while the robots announce peace instead of attempting to destroy humanity. With this, The Electric State ends on a hopeful note, suggesting that humans and robots will coexist in peace till the end of time.

However, since the movie’s primary conflict began after robots turned increasingly defiant and hostile towards humans, the underlying threat from them has not entirely disappeared. The Electric State attempts to anthropomorphize the robots by showing how they, too, experience a wide range of emotions, which also highlights how they, too, suffer from the same pitfalls as humans. Owing to this, the robots seem capable of subjecting humanity to the same atrocities they had to endure when humans took control over them.

Without the neurocasters, humans would have a hard time containing another robot rebellion. This seems like the perfect setup for a sequel, allowing it to explore how humans and robots will navigate their complex relationships with one another in the aftermath of the Sentre’s collapse. The Electric State‘s ending also hints that even after Michelle lets her brother die, the Cosmo robot somehow manages to retain some of his consciousness. A sequel could explain how Chris achieved this feat and what it could mean for the robots’ future on the planet.

The Electric State 2 Can’t Happen For Years If The Russos Are Directing It

The Russos Seemingly Have Other Important Projects Lined Up

The Electric State‘s ambiguous ending leaves enough room for a sequel, but the movie’s directors, Anthony and Joe Russo, may struggle to find enough time to work on the project. For the next few years, the Russo brothers will likely remain invested in their upcoming MCU movies, 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Apart from the two superhero films, the dynamic duo also serve as the producers for many upcoming films, including the swashbuckler action drama The Bluff.

With so many upcoming projects under their belt, it seems unlikely they will consider working on a sequel to The Electric State anytime soon. While only time will tell whether a follow-up to the movie will ever happen, the Russos’ busy schedule will likely make it impossible for them to commit to it. If The Electric State performs well, however, Netflix might consider having other directors onboard to helm the movie’s sequel.

Will The Electric State 2 Actually Happen At All?

If It Does, It Will Follow An Original Story

The Electric State‘s tone may be significantly different from the original book’s, but many aspects of its story align with the source material. Even in its ending moments, The Electric State closes on an ambiguous, bittersweet note like the original graphic novel. Owing to this, if The Electric State‘s sequel happens, it will adopt an original storyline. This, however, would feel unnecessary because the movie does not seem to create a huge demand for a story expansion. It merely explores a few surface-level sci-fi ideas without leaving enough room for a full-fledged franchise to grow.

Not to mention, The Electric State‘s critical reception has not been too optimistic. The movie has an underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 15%, with many picking holes in its risk-free approach and inability to capture the complex philosophical undertones of its source material. However, given how it has the potential to become commercially successful and boasts a significantly higher audience score of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, Netflix might consider investing in its sequel if all goes well.