Will There Be A Ma 2?
In 2019, the world was introduced to the unlikely villain of Sue Ann "Ma" Ellington (Octavia Spencer) in Tate Taylor's psychological thriller "Ma." Despite appearing as a kindly single woman who just wants some company, it's quickly revealed that her past trauma has led to some questionable — and deadly — actions.
"Ma" enjoyed box office success during its theatrical run, raking in over $61 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). Over the course of the film's almost two-hour runtime, audiences are taken on quite the brutal journey. Sue Ann agrees to buy a group of teens alcohol and even offers up her basement as a party space. However, they soon realize her malicious intent. Years prior, Sue Ann was bullied by their parents, who she attended high school with. Now, she's getting her revenge via their kids.
The conclusion of "Ma" is dramatic and chaotic, as the teens attempt to escape Sue Ann's basement where they're held hostage while a fire quickly spreads. Once the group is safely outside, the scene cuts to Sue Ann, who is previously stabbed in the back by Maggie Thompson (Diana Silvers), calmly ascending the stairs. As the flames engulf the home, Sue Ann lays down next to the body of Ben (Luke Evans), her high school crush who meets his demise at her hands earlier in the film.
Many viewers assume she dies in the arms of the man she once loved. But according to director Taylor, Sue Ann's story might not be over just yet.
Director Tate Taylor has an idea for a Ma sequel
According to Tate Taylor, it's not a given that Sue Ann succumbs to the fire. In fact, he chose to not explicitly show her fate one way or the other in order to leave his options wide-open for a "Ma" sequel. He said, "I think it's worth discussing [a sequel]. I know Octavia would do it, that's why I purposely left her death ambiguous" (via Entertainment Weekly).
While some horror sequels simply repeat the plotline of their predecessor, such as the "Final Destination" franchise, Taylor doesn't want this to be the case for a second "Ma." Nothing is set in stone at the moment, but he has a fresh concept in mind for Sue Ann, including a career shift away from being a veterinary aide in Ohio. Taylor explained his idea to EW, saying that he could see Sue Ann moving to a new small town and continuing her killing spree through open houses. Further elaborating, he said, "I think she'd be a real estate agent in the Pacific Northwest and just murder white people looking at McMansions. That's as far as I've gotten."
Given Octavia Spencer's passion for breaking the cycle of "Black people always [dying] within the first 15 minutes of a horror film" (via Variety), she'd likely enjoy this new idea. She said, "I'm glad that, if it can help change the ridiculously stubborn narrative that we've all lived with, I'm glad to be a part of that."