Warning: This post contains spoilers for Black Bag.Black Bag director Steven Soderbergh and star Michael Fᴀssbender tease the potential for a sequel to the new espionage drama. Released in theaters this weekend, the new film follows George Woodhouse (Fᴀssbender), a spy who must covertly surveil his wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) when she is suspected of stealing a dangerous weapon. At the end of Black Bag, after learning they’ve been set up and made to investigate the other, George and Kathryn team up to expose the true thief: James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page). Following a tense showdown wherein Kathryn kills Stokes, the pair continue with life as normal, while their agency is left to quietly ponder Stokes’ sudden disappearance.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, both Soderbergh and Fᴀssbender contemplate what’s next for George and Kathryn after Black Bag‘s ending. Though it seems things have been tied up fairly neatly for the couple and returned to the status quo, Soderbergh revealed that screenwriter David Koepp actually has an idea for a continuation that would build on the first movie’s climax. He said:

If we were fortunate enough with success to be asked to continue this story, David has a really good idea. I don’t want to jinx it, but it would be an even more serious problem that they would be confronting.

The idea that David has plays into this idea of there will be a consequence to the fact they took that action [and killed James]. That’s not going to go away. You just don’t disappear somebody who works in that business and never have to confront your role in it. So David’s idea of how this circles back to them is really interesting.

For his part, Fᴀssbender imagined George and Kathryn would continue to live with an aura of paranoia hanging over their relationship, suggesting it’s a continuous thing for them. He explained:

It’s a continual thing. To ever think, ‘Okay, life is going to be easier now,’ no, this is the world that they live in. They’re all looking over their shoulder within their own organization. Just the idea of going to work and in your workspace you’re constantly being observed and ᴀssessed and this level of distrust is a resting place for everyone. Paranoia is always humming in the background. So I think it goes on as we left off and their relationship as well.

What This Means For A Black Bag Sequel

It’s Promising, But Obstacles Lie Ahead

With a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, Soderbergh’s new movie has quickly cemented itself as one of his best. In her Black Bag review, ScreenRant‘s Mae Abdulbaki gave the movie eight out of 10 stars, writing, “There is enough intensity and drama between its core characters to make for a wildly entertaining, tense and – dare I say it — Sєxy thriller.” With such acclaim, it seems that a sequel would be welcomed, and Koepp already having an idea is promising.

The chemistry between Fᴀssbender and Blanchett — and George and Kathryn’s marriage itself — has been cited as one of the best parts of Black Bag, making a sequel where they are firmly on the same side for the entire runtime an intriguing prospect. As Soderbergh mentioned, it would follow them dealing with a more serious threat, making for a more intense story where the stakes are raised even further. At its core, though, it would likely keep its characters centered, which would make it a unique kind of sequel.

As it stands right now, though, there might be an obstacle in the way of Black Bag 2. At the time of writing, the new movie’s worldwide opening has clocked in at a mere $11.8 million against a reported $50 million budget. In order to be deemed a success, it needs to earn a great deal more, perhaps closer to $100+ million. If the first Black Bag isn’t seen as profitable, a sequel might not be able to get off the ground just with critical acclaim alone. However, its eventual release on VOD and streaming could also change its prospects for the better.

Our Take On Black Bag 2

Please, Hollywood, Make It Happen

Hearing that there is already a story in mind for Black Bag 2 has me sincerely excited, and I hope it happens. Hollywood relies too much on franchises these days, it’s true, but Black Bag not being based on any existing property makes it more exciting as an ongoing series. It also sounds like the idea of a sequel came organically to Koepp just from crafting the original story, rather than forcing the notion for the sake of building a fictional world.

I was engrossed in and thrilled by George and Kathryn’s story, as well as Fᴀssbender and Blanchett’s performances, and the idea of seeing them play these characters again is too good to pᴀss up. I can only hope Black Bag finds its audience in the weeks and months ahead and paves the way for another installment. This is the type of movie Hollywood could use more of.

Source: EW