The Tomorrow War 2 - What We Know So Far
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Since the coronavirus pandemic, Amazon has spent huge sums of money to secure films with the potential to become tentpole franchises, as reported by Variety. And now, it looks like the streaming platform's $200 million investment in "The Tomorrow War" has paid off handsomely.
"The Tomorrow War" is an original property set in 2022, when time-traveling soldiers from the future arrive and warn humanity that an alien race called the Whitespikes is threatening to destroy the world. Chris Pratt stars as Dan Foster, a 2022 Green Beret who's drafted into the future military and sent to war.
The sci-fi thriller premiered on July 2, 2021, quickly becoming the most-watched film on its streaming platform, as well as the most-viewed streaming movie of the summer so far. Not even a week later, it was already time to talk sequels. Here's everything we know about "The Tomorrow War 2."
Warnings: spoilers for "The Tomorrow War" below.
What is the release date for The Tomorrow War 2?
As reported by Deadline, Amazon and "The Tomorrow War's" production company, Skydance, are currently in talks for a sequel as of June 8. The sequel hasn't officially been announced yet, but given the success of the first film, it's pretty much guaranteed.
No release date has been announced, but based on the last film's production timeline, we can at least make an educated guess. Chris Pratt was first announced to star in "The Tomorrow War" in February 2019, according to Variety. The film began shooting the following September and wrapped in January 2020. It was originally scheduled for a Christmas 2020 release (via The Hollywood Reporter) until the coronavirus pandemic changed Amazon's release schedule. Minus the pandemic-related delays, that's a timeline of just under two years. Given that timeframe, the earliest "The Tomorrow War 2" could premiere is in the summer of 2023.
Who is in the cast of The Tomorrow War 2?
In the report about negotiations for the "Tomorrow War" sequel, Deadline also reported that Amazon and Skydance are discussing bringing back all the (surviving) members of the cast. Along with lead star Chris Pratt, the Deadline report names co-star Yvonne Strahovski as a good candidate to return — she plays Col. Muri Forester, Dan's adult daughter and commander in the future. Also mentioned are co-stars Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, and J.K. Simmons, who plays Dan's father. The report also mentions Edwin Hodge as a candidate to return, although since his character dies, how that would work remains unseen. Additionally, the companies are trying to bring back most of the behind-the-scenes talent, including director Chris McKay and screenwriter Zach Dean.
Of course, it's also very likely that the sequel will introduce some brand new characters, which will mean adding new cast members. We'll keep you updated once that information comes in.
What is the plot of The Tomorrow War 2?
It's still much too early for concrete details to become available, but it sounds like McKay has a clear idea for where the franchise can go. "The Tomorrow War" ends when humanity appears to have destroyed the Whitespikes for good, but they also learn that the Whitespikes are actually creatures that were genetically engineered by an even more intelligent and dangerous alien species, with the job of depopulating the Earth.
In an interview with Comic Book, McKay said that future "Tomorrow War" movies would explore this alien race, their origins, and the threat they pose to humanity. "We talked about the world of these creatures, where they came from, how they were created or raised, and how they were maybe being used. I like world-building experiments, especially when you have the potential of some kind of time travel." McKay said. "I think that a sequel could go in a lot of fun areas and the ethnographic study of the Whitespikes in their world and where they came from, and what their purpose was, and all of that kind of thing."
Since time travel is on the table, "The Tomorrow War 2" could go in practically any direction. But one thing is certain: the war is far from over.
Where can you watch The Tomorrow War?
If you have Amazon Prime — and if you've already watched this movie, odds are that you do! — you're in luck. "The Tomorrow War" is available exclusively on Amazon Prime.
Besides "The Tomorrow War," there's a ton of action flicks on Amazon Prime to scratch that particular itch until more news of "The Tomorrow War 2" breaks. A 2022 favorite for Michael Bay fans, "Ambulance" is available for free on the streamer, alongside the Korean zombie film "Train to Busan," the "Indiana Jones" franchise, Steven Spielberg's "Minority Report," the first "Top Gun" film (which is perfectly paired with 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick"), and recent Bond installment "Skyfall."